STORY BEHIND THE ART OF INMA MEDINA
23rd Annual International
American Society of Botanical Artists at Wave Hill
Bird of Paradise
Strelitzia reginae
The bird of paradise has been a favorite since I was a little girl growing up in the Dominican Republic. I loved visiting the botanical gardens with my family. Many years ago on a trip to Bermuda, I visited their botanical garden. It was like heaven on earth for me. I took so many photos of the beautiful tropical flowers in bloom at the time.
Recently, I came across the Bermuda vacation album and noticed the huge collection of plant photos from the botanical garden visit. I must have been destined to paint the Bird of Paradise. I had so many very good photos of the flower. I immediately pulled aside the photos and started to draw versions to plan the composition.
The bird of paradise flower meaning includes joy, freedom and paradise, as it is the quintessential tropical flower. It originates from South Africa, where it is also nicknamed the Crane Flower. This flower has been grown at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, UK since 1773. The scientific name for the bird of paradise is Strelitzia reginae, which was named by Sir Joseph Banks, who was the director of the royal gardens. He named the genus after Queen Charlotte who was the Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
The bird of paradise gets its name from the fact that its flower is made of three bright orange petals and three blue petals which are fused together into a single bud. As the flower blooms, each petal makes its debut and the resulting shape mirrors that of a tropical bird in flight. Although birds of paradise are best known for their bright orange and blue colors, their flowers can also be white.
The bird of paradise is a very popular source of inspiration in fine art. Famous floral artist Georgia O’Keeffe painted White Bird of Paradise during her time spent in Hawaii in the 1940s, and it is one of her most famous paintings from that time.
The Bird of Paradise was a play that came out in 1912 about a torn interracial romance between a Polynesian beauty and a young American sailor. The play popularized Hawaiian culture and was adapted for film in 1932.
Painting this flower was such a pleasure. I used a lot of Schmincke translucent orange. as most of the flower is in this color. This paint is like sliding soft butter over a freshly baked slice of bread. I can smell it as I write this. The paper is Moulin Du Roy, hot press, 300 lb. The most amazing combination of materials for me to paint with. The side view of the flower is a good way to depict its form. The colors are in contrast, orange and navy creating drama.
The bird of Paradise painting represents for me my tropical roots. I enjoy brightly colored subjects, especially this particular translucent orange that I have used in almost all my paintings so far.
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Read more about this artist’s work: 22nd Annual