Fabulous Fuchsia

I love the glorious tangles of multicoloured flowers that fill a fuchsia bush. Another one of my favourite flowers, (and I have many) that unfortunately does not like to grow in our sub-tropical climate. Their buds form in pairs, and their flowers, once opened, have interesting and unusual shapes. This particular variety – Ballerina Blau, has high-lifted orange red sepals, and a deep purple corolla, richly folded in shadowed whorls from which descend the long slender stamens. For this painting I decided to concentrate on the flower rather than allowing myself to become distracted by the slightly wild messy foliage that makes the fuchsia what it is.