symbolizing hope for an everlasting union between two people...

last thanksgiving my friend gurdas mentioned that he would like it if I would paint something for him. he would pay me, he said, but he was kind light on the requests. he said colors, maybe red and yellow, maybe blues, maybe greens. and he said he wanted something on the bigger side of the size spectrum.

I had been wondering for MONTHS what to paint for him. I had no idea what to paint. I hadn't had time to paint, either, which helped, but really, I felt like I was at a loss. and then one day, I started thinking "what flowers come in reds?"

because, you see, I don't particularly care for red flowers. I really can't see the beauty in red roses. And even red ranunculus or red poppies aren't particularly appealing to me. I'm not sure why, but it is just is what it is.

but somehow I knew that dahlias came in red and yellow--and sometimes yellow with red tips. so I decided to paint a "red dahlia for gurdas." and here it is.


I told him it was a good thing that I painted it in colors that don't "go with" my house. or else I would've had a hard time letting it go. although it does make me quite happy that this painting now lives in the house of a treasured friend.

fun fact that I did not learn until AFTER I finished this painting....dahlias are a symbol of hope for an everlasting union between two people. and gurdas recently got engaged! is that kind of awesome or what?

oooooh and...only because I'm super pumped about it--last week I also sold one of my birdie paintings I'd put on etsy. I am so excited to have sold TWO paintings in ONE week!