Anita Marci's "Icy Iris" Painting

     This is the "Icy Iris" painting. It is 30" x 24" Acrylic on Stretched Canvas.  This is the first of the next four that was painted.  I was approached by a colleague to decorate her showroom in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii. She has a beautiful materials showroom to showcase my art. Well, being a commission artist I do not have a lot of inventory, so I had to make some paintings and these are the new paintings.  Enjoy!

Anita Marci's "Heliconia Flower" Painting

     This painting is 16" x 12" Acrylic on Canvas and is titled "Heliconia Flower."  It was painted at the same time as "Banana Flower."  This again, is a very clean and simplistic piece.  Only five colors are in this piece. I usually use at least six or seven.  I enjoy the boldness of this art.

Anita Marci's "Violet Iris" Painting

    This painting is 30" x 24" and is titled "Violet Iris."  It has the distinction of being one of the few paintings that painted itself. Usually I have a vision for the piece before I begin.  I complete a study and work out the details of the art.  I did that with this, but when it came time to paint the final, everything started to change. As usual, in my editing practice, I start to ask myself if I really need that color?? Then, I proceed to form. I question every element. Do I really need that shape??

     Well, somehow this painting took on a life of it's own and when it was done I was surprised at how bold and almost masculine the art had become. This was painted right after the" Icy Iris" which is so very feminine.  I tend to try to keep a balance of male and female energy in my art.  This painting feels almost regal to me. I really enjoy the rich purples against the deep black.

Anita Marci's "Banana Flower" Painting

     This is a brand new 16" x 12" Acrylic on Canvas Painting titled "Banana Flower."  I took the photo for this painting on my very first trip to Maui in 2002.  It was taken the old fashioned way with film so I can not show the photo here.  Sometimes I will wait for many years before I use a photo to make a painting.  My vision is consistent, so this is not an issue.  Recently, I made four new paintings and they were all made from photos from 2001-2002.

     I love the simplicity of this piece.  More and more I am focusing on the editing of my art. I was recently re-inspired by some Alex Katz art.  He is best known for his portraits, but he has painted many flowers and landscapes that I really enjoy. His editing is very profound and although these paintings look simple, getting to this point is the challenge.

     The newest element in this art is to incorporate a black background. I always mix my colors and never use them out of the tube. Each black is a little bit different- as it depends how the color is mixed.  I find the the black to be a dramatic and striking backdrop for the main character which is the banana flower. Enjoy!