I’ve returned to Switzerland for this big original painting commission, with a view from the rose garden in Zug.
I was asked by Chapin and Franca to capture a personal moment, up on the hillside overlooking the old town and the lake, surrounded by the flowering garden. I had walked this path a few times myself during my research trips to Zug and I had already created a winter scene on paper from roughly the same viewpoint. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to paint it again on a larger scale in more Spring-like colours.
As we often do with these larger commissions, I enjoyed working with the client to edit together a few photographic references. We opened up a lot of the rooftops that you would normally see from the gardens, instead recreating the street that leads towards the Zyyturm clock tower with the blue pattern roof. The other towers have been moved around a little too, with the Kapuzinerturm rotated around to show the beautiful clock detail that would normally face towards the lake.
Here’s the final piece, on a 49 x 37” (124 x 94cm) thin edge canvas and presented within a deeper edge white floater frame. I do love how these floater frames look on the wall… especially when the artwork continues around onto the edge of the canvas, so the painting seems to disappear into the frame. It was quite difficult to show the details around the old town architecture, so I created this little walk around video.
I’m really pleased with the results. Bringing a more expressive sky into my canvas pieces was great fun, and I think it contrasted nicely with the slightly abstract rose shapes and foliage in the foreground. A huge thanks to Chapin and Franca for letting me run with my artistic licence! It has now travelled around the globe to live in Maryland, where I believe the family has a lovely mantlepiece spot picked out for it’s new home!
Let me know what you think or leave me a suggestion for a place to paint next!