August 2024 / No.13

Notes on my art and creative process

It’s the start of Much Snow, Much Hay’s second year, and I am circling back to where we began with hollyhocks (Issue No.1).

Last week, I visited the unexpected garden that inspired one of my more popular prints, Along Hwy. 93. The little plot is thriving, cacophonous, and the hollyhock mix once again claims the highest altitude (at about eleven feet!).

I’m still growing hollyhocks in my garden. As in previous years, the dark-purples dominated this season except for a small faction of white-with-purple-centers. Then in early August, I saw some small latecomers further breaking up the purple curtain: a deep pink, a bright white, a pale pink… I continue to dream about a full-grown row of multicolored hollyhocks — fingers crossed for next year.

“It was a large, neatly kept cottage… Hollyhocks grew along the side, in shades of red and violet, unless magic had gotten into them again, in which case they had a tendency to go plaid.”
— T. KINGFISHER

I painted The House At Green Camp (top) as a surprise for my mom. I based it on a photograph of her childhood home that my grandfather took. At some point, he painted the same image and it might be the only painting he ever did! I was curious to see what it would be like to try my hand at the same subject.

Due to the photo’s age, the image was dark and dull and lacked modern-day-photo crispness. With artistic license in hand, I brightened the scene overall, shifted the season a bit, and brought out livelier color notes. I also guessed at some of the vague details.

I gave my mom the almost-finished painting, knowing she could supply some of the unknown information (where was the front door? what’s that structure in the far back?). Even with those adjustments, I still felt like something was lacking. Then she found more photos and we discovered the missing ingredient: my grandmother grew her own hollyhocks, which can be seen in later images. I added in that bit of cheer and the painting now feels complete. My seemingly arbitrary fascination with the hollyhock has deeper roots than I knew.

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Instagram: @DrawKevinDraw
Website: KevinTseng.com
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