I love to paint large-scale, macro flowers most of all. I find it very meditative, as if I am actually inside the flower while I'm painting it. I enjoyed painting this composition of the New York state flower because the angle seemed to afford more depth. I tried to incorporate some elements of texture in creating the edges of the petals, and through the use of a palette knife in certain areas like the front petal.

Thanks to Teng Tan for belated permission to use the original photo "Rose Close at Heart" as a reference for this piece http://www.flickr.com/photos/tengtan/

The rose has special meaning to me because my Father's family name was Rosa, and was later changed to Rose by my paternal Grandfather when he emigrated from Italy to the U.S.