Birds Of Paradise

This is a painting of a scene in a little botanical garden just south of Santa Barbara which has featured in many of my paintings. It's a place of endless inspiration for me and I never tire of heading out there, canvas in hand, full of anticipation at what I mind find to paint next. On this sunny spring day the gardens were in full bloom and colour seemed to be everywhere, but it was this particular scene which stopped me in my tracks and had me reaching for my canvas: the gorgeous coral tree with its canopy of showy scarlet blooms; the vast banks of flowers swaying in the Pacific breeze; the pink path running like a river through it all; and at the centre the inimitable birds of paradise which gave this painting its name. It truly was glorious and what a joy it was to paint!