Ceramic Ornament - 'Afternoon Peonies'

One of my favourite flowers would have to be the peony-rose. My grandma grew some many years ago and I saw some magnificent peony blooms in the gardens at Capernwray Hall in England where I lived for the good part of a year. I loved the large rounded shape of the peony blooms - they seemed so beautifully extravagant and yet delicate at the same time. I have a couple of small peony plants but they are yet to produce flowers. (Apparently it takes a few years before they are mature enough to flower.) Red is my favourite colour and I couldn't resist painting these red peonies displayed in a vase that was a wedding gift to my parents but now graces my home. As I took the photo to base my acrylic painting on, the afternoon light streamed through the window setting the blooms aglow. May this image brighten your day and refresh your spirit!