This commissioned piece was wonderful to paint. Inspired by the views at Andrews Scenic Acres in Milton, and a love of dahlias, my aim was to bring the outdoors inside for the patron to enjoy.

I’m pleased with the movement in the clouds, and how rivers of flowers draws your eyes around field, while the patches of greenery and abstract paint give somewhere for your eyes to rest. I aimed to create a playful interaction between realistic detail and abstract painterly brush strokes. 

Work in progress

I take many photos and videos while I work as a way to involve the person(s) who commissioned the painting. Chatting back and forth and sharing the work in progress is a lovely way to feel connected to the art as it is being created.

I’ve included my favourite snapshots of the work in progress below… but if you really want to delve in, you can watch the full video of the time-lapse work in progress of “Dahlias for Laura” by clicking below on the embedded Youtube. You can also watch shorter Reels of my work in progress on Instagram (@heather_castles_illustration) …I post regularly there little sneak peeks at my newest paintings, studies, and early releases of paintings for sale.

commission inquiries

If you are interested in a painting commission, please drop me a line and we can have a chat! Or follow me on Instagram, get a feel for my work process, and send me a DM!