Story behind the art of Jessica Walker

29th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists and the Society of Illustrators

Big Red

Tulipa gesneriana cv.

Some paintings don't have a story behind them. Sometimes they're simply born from beauty, curiosity, and the desire to challenge yourself. That was certainly the case with this one.

At the time, I had been painting a great deal of pink, but these vibrant red tulips were blooming all around me. I couldn't resist the temptation to try something different. This would be only my second attempt at painting a red flower, and I vividly remembered the struggle I had with a poinsettia years before. 

Red is a demanding color in watercolor. While it appears bold and effortless, capturing its depth without losing its brilliance requires a delicate balance. The greatest challenge came in the shadows. It was difficult to create convincing depth without the color becoming muddy or dull.

To preserve that richness, I built the darkest shadows first, then layered transparent washes of pure red over them. It required patience, careful control of water and pigment, and a willingness to let each layer do its work. In the end, the challenge was exactly what drew me to the painting in the first place and gave me a chance to better understand a color that had once intimidated me.

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