Flowers on La Rambla, Barcelona

I once read an article about the types of workplaces that make people happy – customers because they look forward to interacting with it, and employees because the customers look forward to being there. Places like bakeries, spas, and… flower shops.

If you follow my art, you can tell that flower shops would be at the top of my list! On my travels, I seemed to find and photograph a large number of flower shops and outdoor flower markets. When I had a regular paying job, I’d reward a hard week of work with a visit to a flower shop for some sensory uplifting and eventually some seasonal cut flowers. That’s not a regular indulgence now that I’m a self-employed artist, but the upside is that I can paint these shops and their plants instead.

My latest flower shop inspiration comes from a recent trip to Barcelona. We walked along the famous pedestrian street, La Rambla, on a summer Sunday afternoon. Have you walked it? There are so many treats and challenges for your senses – the incredible architecture on either side, the gorgeous plane trees lining the avenue, the street performers every few feet, and the variety of shops. When I saw this particular flower shop and the scenery around it, I stopped in my tracks – “this is going to be a painting someday” I said to myself and out came the camera. After the photography, I spent time at the shop taking in the beautiful plants. For those few short moments, all the noise of La Rambla faded away, and it was just me and the flowers. When the gentleman asked if I needed any help (perhaps I had lingered too long?), the spell was broken. I muttered “No, gracias” and stepped back into the craziness of a Sunday afternoon on La Rambla.

In this new painting, “Flowers on La Rambla, Barcelona”, I captured what the photo captured – all the activity of La Rambla, that assault of your senses and wanting to take everything in. But if you take your eye back to the flower shop after all your exploration, hopefully you’ll feel that sense of lightness, of calm and delight. Ahhhh…