Ruffled Petals Went To Court

Ruffled Petals

What does court have to do with art? How does a piece of art end up in court anyway? Was there some legal drama over the rights or ownership of this award-winning piece of artwork? It is actually not that intriguing, but, it is true that this artwork went to court.

During the time I painted "Ruffles Petals" we had recently moved to a new county.  I had to leave behind some of my beloved orchid plants. I took pictures of them with my telephone because my camera was packed and, since I could not get them from my phone (old school) to my computer, I saved them in my phone.

A few months after moving I was summoned to Court.  As I sat in the crowd of the Jury Pool Room, I wanted to work. Artists rarely go anywhere without carrying art supplies, but, this time I forgotten to bring something to work 'from', a subject photo.  Just sitting and staring at the blank page was not getting me anywhere, so I began to go through my phone to delete unwanted items as a way to pass the time usefully. Fidgeting in my seat I went click..delete..click..delete..click....

There it was, my old orchid plant starring back at me.  The tiny photograph was a challenge to work from and my memory for detail was needed when it came to the 'ruffly' parts, but, I knew that orchid well. It was an old friend come to keep me company in a new place where I didn't know a single person.

When choosing a title I remembered the 'ruffled' feelings of sitting in the Jury Pool with nothing to draw. In my studio at home, in the days that followed, the painting was completed and, I'm happy to say, it was honored with an award in a local show some time later. So,  "Ruffled Petals" has come from my home of yesterday, spent some time lost in a digital format, and is now remembered for the only one of my paintings that ever went to court.

Thanks for listening.
What will you create today?

S L Waldon