The Floral Obsession

Flowers, fleurs, florals… I think about them almost every day in my studio. They are the heart of so much of my work—and it makes sense. Flowers are everywhere in our lives, even if you don’t consider yourself a “flower person” or buy them often at the grocery store. Everyone has a memory tied to a flower, an emotion it brings to mind. Think about it—they show up at weddings, anniversaries, first dates, birthdays, even funerals. They are little messengers, saying “I love you,” “I’m thinking of you,” or “Congratulations!” without ever speaking a word. Symbolic, emotional, personal… flowers are universal.

For me, my love of flowers started as a kid in Ohio, with my grandmother. She was a gardener through and through—always tending to her garden, every season, with a precision and care that made her happiest. And for me, flowers were a way to connect with her. I remember helping her with arrangements for the county fair, hoping to win a blue ribbon. Trips to the local nursery were an adventure: my mom, sister, and I loading the car with seasonal blooms she’d carefully select. Even car rides became lessons in floral appreciation—my grandmother pointing out wildflowers along country roads, noting which ones she loved or wanted for her garden.

Now, decades later, even here in France, flowers remind me of her. Walking through the village, I see blooms spilling from pots, climbing vines, and tidy gardens, and I feel her presence. This connection—between memory, emotion, and the simple beauty of flowers—has carried into my art. Bouquets on first dates, flowers delivered for birthdays, and yes, the ones at weddings I paint live… flowers always mark something meaningful.

Florals dominate my work because they’re endlessly versatile. They can be joyful, somber, calming, vibrant… tiny, enormous, delicate, bold. Shapes and colors are infinite, and for me as an artist, they’re endlessly fun to play with. When I started live painting at markets, I realized I wanted my work to be more than just “look at my painting.” I wanted it to be an experience, a little form of entertainment. And when I thought of entertainment, weddings immediately came to mind.

Live wedding painting is a perfect example. I’m capturing more than a scene—I’m capturing a mood, a color palette, the florals that tie a day together. Sure, there are photos and rings, the dress, the vows… but the flowers? They’re ephemeral. They’re carefully arranged, thoughtfully placed, and they cost a pretty penny—but they set a mood that nothing else can. My goal is to take that fleeting beauty, that emotion, and transform it into a painting that lives on in your home, as a symbolic heirloom of your love. I want people to look at it years later and feel the day, the joy, the flowers, the energy—whether they were there or not.

These paintings are not photo replicas. They are emotion rendered in color. They are memory, feeling, and symbolism. A bouquet at a wedding, a wildflower along a roadside, a favorite bloom that reminds you of someone you love—they’re all threads I weave into my work.

Flowers are a symbol, yes—but more than that, they are emotional connectors. They evoke memories, feelings, and milestones, and that’s exactly what art does. Painting flowers allows me to celebrate life’s little and big moments, and to translate them into something that is timeless, beautiful, and personal.

If you’d like to see more of my floral work, book a live wedding painting, or commission an artwork—message me through my contact page!