Water Gardens

When anyone thinks of waterlilies or water gardens it is difficult not to think of the French Impressionist Claude Monet. Monet painted many different subjects, but he is best known for his waterlilies. Monet's waterlilies have become cliche with their commercialization, but in his day, he and the rest of the impressionist were true radicals.

At the age of 50, Monet became finacially successful as a painter and he bought the house in Giverney which he previously rented with his family. All the gardens at Giverney but especially the water gardens became his constant inspiration. The gardens became a curated natural landscape for Monet to paint. Monet painted many waterlilies, but he started his monumental waterlilies series at the age of 73. During this series he struggled with cataracts and his modified painting style became even more impressionist. Many attribute this painting style as inspiration for Jackson Pollack, Mark Rothko and Willem de Kooning.

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Summer is a great time to visit and experience water gardens. My favorite water garden is Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens National Park in Washington DC, although another great local water garden is Lilypons Maryland. Both locations have many varieties of waterlilies and lotus. I have spent many weekends at both locations and especially around the 2nd week of July when the lotus are blooming. Lotus are not waterlilies and in fact are in a different flower family. The basic characteristics of the lotus that make them different are that their leaves and flowers are elevated above the water surface. The leaves also have a uniqueness in how they repel water which results in the water beading off the leaves much like a newly waxed car. Many people are familiar with the Lotus seed pod which is often sold at craft stores as an ornamental decoration. The lotus has symbolic meaning in many cultures, but the most common theme is a rebirth. The most famous yoga pose for meditation is called the Lotus position. Another great park adjacent to Kenilworth Water gardens if the National Arboretum. My favorite exhibits are the Bonsai garden and the Koi pond.

Below are two paintings that I created from visits to both the National Arboretum and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. The “Autumn Koi” painting was created from several photos I took at the Koi Pond at the National Arboretum in the Fall. The Lotus painting was created from a photograph I took at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in the morning light of a July day. As with many of my paintings, the lighting of the subject provides the primary interest. The Lotus painting received honorable mention in the National Park Service annual stamp contest.