The Bearded Iris I think is one of the most beautiful flowers. I am always amazed at the intricate details and colors that I see in their blooms. I think I first fell in love with these flowers when I saw van Gogh’ s painting of Irises in a museum while traveling through Europe at 17.
I grew them for the first time 23 years ago in our garden in Upington in South Africa. My Aunt Margie gave the Irises to me to plant ‘harvested’ from her own garden in Johannesburg and I have tried to grow them in every garden since. Unfortunately they don’t grow here which is probably why you see them so much in my art subject matter. I miss them………
Bearded Iris (Iris germanica)
A4 Artists sketch paper
Pencil crayon and B pencil
Bearded Iris (Iris germanica) close-up #1
Bearded Iris (Iris germanica) close-up #2
Bearded Iris (Iris germanica) close-up #3
Bearded Iris (Iris germanica) close-up #4
Bearded Iris (Iris germanica) close-up #5
Bearded Iris (Iris germanica) close-up #6
In the legends of the ancient Greeks, Iris – goddess of the rainbow and a messenger of the gods shuttled between heaven and Earth atop colorful arcs. Wherever she stepped on earth, iris flowers sprang up in all the hues of the rainbow. A rather beautiful story of how these gifts from the Gods came to grow on our Earth….
artbyeileen 
Your work has the same effect as good pot, not that I have used it much. But it is widely reported to make people stare intently, with full attention, for more than ten seconds, at a flower or other object of beauty. I have never needed substances to get bowled over by the glory of a blossoming dandelion. A good friend once told me I was “a naturally stoned person”. So help me Gaia, it was meant as a compliment. Anyway….I suspect you are too….your work makes me want to go out and just stare at an iris for an hour. Thanks and hugs.
Beautiful. This is one of my favorite flowers. Amazing work!