Flower of the week: Iris

As we've approached Summertime in Australia, it's time to focus on those flowers that bloom during this warm to hot season. The Iris is a species of flowering plant with showy flowers in a variety of colours. It's named after the Greek word for rainbow. These are popular garden flowers, the most popular being the bearded Iris, which blooms primarily in the Summer months. The Iris is found natively in the Northern hemisphere zones, mostly in Eurasia and Asian countries. They are predominantly found in dry areas.

I've painted a few artworks of this beautiful and popular flower. The two on the left were painted from photos and the originals have sold. The Blue Iris on the left is actually one of my favourite paintings that I've done. The framed one on the right currently hangs in my dining room - is not for sale at the present time - and was painted from a bunch of Irises in a vase. Prints of these artworks are available here and here.

The Iris has been a popular subject for famous painters and artists over the years. Vincent Van Gough painted this artwork of a field of "Irises" in 1889 above on the right. Georgia O'Keeffe also painted a number of Irises, mostly in the 1950s. Below are three of her Iris paintings - "White Iris no.7", "Black Iris" and "Lavender Iris"