Silent Blossom — watercolour on paper by Boris de Leeuwe

‘Silent Bloom’ is a hand-painted watercolour study in which I sought to capture the subtle nuances of colour and form in a geranium. It is an observational study, painted from life.

In the Netherlands, you still occasionally hear the expression ‘sitting behind the geraniums’. Unfortunately, this has given the geranium a bad name. Unfairly so: whilst creating this watercolour, I became aware of what a beautiful plant it actually is. The plant possesses an enormous wealth of different shapes and colours.

In the watercolour, you can see soft green tones and muted reds blending together, with occasional accents of blue and yellow. The transparent washes reveal the delicate contours of the leaves and the airy form of a single geranium flower. Flowing layers of watercolour and subtle tonal variations create a gentle sense of movement and tranquil botanical detail. A refined botanical watercolour that subtly enriches a living room, bedroom or workspace with natural, understated colour tones.

In my art, I do not strive for a photorealistic image, but rather seek my personal interpretation of the subject. Every piece I create is an experiment in which I am not focused on an end result. Instead, I allow myself to be surprised by what emerges in the moment itself.

What fascinates me is the tension between a figurative representation on the one hand and the realisation on the other that these are ‘merely’ marks on a surface – marks that together form an image for the viewer. My work is characterised by a lively brushstroke.