Winter Garden Florida has a small cute downtown area and has the West Orange Trail running through it that attracts many bicyclists. One hot summer day we packed our bicycles into the van, masks, water, sunscreen, and headed over to explore. To allow for more distancing, street parking had been limited on the main street of the town and instead, tables and umbrellas in roped off spaces had been added. (If you follow me you know how I love sidewalk cafe type scenes.) So I loved capturing some photos of the area. We went into a few shops, got some ice cream, and rode our bikes a short distance on the trail, wearing masks where needed and being respectful of others’ space.
It wasn’t ideal, there was some grumbling by the teens, but it was good to be outside and doing something together. Afterward, I went through my photos and picked out some to paint. Around that time an artist I follow and love released her new series. Included among the gorgeous florals were a few outdoor cafe scenes. Extra inspiration. While I almost always work from photographs, I wanted these to be a little looser in their details. So I took my photos into photoshop and tried some different filters on them. I liked how it simplified the photos and helped me to simplify the paintings.
This series is a reminder of how much we need to interact with other people in a time where it’s way too easy to feel isolated. In this case the vibrant colors chosen were also a reminder of what good mental health looks like, and how so much of that is tied to having meaningful connections to others.
Each piece is 20×20 inches on a gallery wrapped canvas. Originals and reproductions available for sale.
Heather L Nagy Art 