About the Painting: Flowers for Jesús

"I really like this one… Do you think I could I have it?"

"Of course. I named it after you."

A genuine smile came across my husband's face as we stood together in my studio – my hands on my hips, his arms crossed – as we looked over my day's work spread out on my floor, a typical ritual for us after a long stint of painting. Jesús is my favorite art critic. He's always fair but encouraging, always challenging me with love.

I painted "Flowers for Jesús" in a burst of energy that afternoon after walking by an unfinished canvas on my wall. I got the image of an abstract field of flowers and instantly felt moved to paint.

I occasionally have paintings come to me like this, and when the moment strikes, I always try to respond quickly.

So I rushed to my pastels and paint and scribbled out my flowers in a matter of minutes.

As I stood back, I thought, this ought to be for Jesús. Its energetic marks, bold colors, and easy-going composition instantly reminded me of him. He's the most fun, vibrant, and lighthearted person I know.

His favorite color is red, and he has a soft spot for ranunculus flowers, so I called the painting Flowers for Jesús and shared it with him as a gift for our seventh wedding anniversary. The painting now hangs proudly in his office.

Over the years, I've made my husband all kinds of doodles, birthday cards, and paintings. What makes those gifts special is that they're shared just between us – no one needs to know about them for their meaning to resonate in our hearts.

What makes Flowers for Jesús special in a new way is that I deliberately chose to include it in my portfolio rather than keep it to ourselves. This painting is a love letter that anyone who sees my work – now and into the future – will know about. What a special, public display of affection for the person who means the most to me.

Flowers for Jesús is now available as a print. I love knowing that it could commemorate someone else's love story or bring joy to a new space with its exuberant marks.

Click here to see the print and browse available sizes.

Thank you so much for reading about this painting,

Anna