Zinnias always remind me of my grandmother ... I don't remember a year when I was growing up that she didn't grow them. I have no idea if she ever bought zinnia seed (or, more likely, the last time she bought zinnia seeds) - but I certainly remember the line of oatmeal containers in her garage where she kept the zinnia seeds she collected each year from her garden. She was big into zinnia recycling.
And I now grow and recycle zinnias too. After all, zinnias are just so incredibly easy to grow (and collect seed from!) and they also create perfect swatches of color everywhere. I planted a bunch of zinnia seeds this year throughout different beds (and in the vegetable garden too!) and they are beginning to really start to flower now.
So pretty!
I base a lot of the photography and art that I do on the flowers that I grow and I think zinnias make great (if not the perfect) subject for photography and works of art. After all, they are works of art on their own! Zinnia flowers have so much depth and I love the subtle (or sometimes not so subtle) gradients in color on zinnia petals.
I've been really trying to find more time for creating art and was (finally) able to spend some time making this in the last few days .... it is based on a zinnia blooming in my garden right now.
If we ever get around to finishing our house, I think I'd like to hang this above a fireplace, or perhaps in our bedroom... yes, I'd like to wake up to this each morning!
My Zinnia print is also for sale on my art website at www.CarylAlys.com.
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