SUNFLOWER FESTIVAL STREET BANNER

My littlest fan, my grandson Tate was fascinated with the painting. Tate, his mother and two aunts paid me a visit while I was just about finished with the banner for the Sunflower Art, Food and Wine Festival scheduled for June 6th. The local gallery sponsoring the event ordered twenty, canvas banners and invited local artists to each paint them. The banners are to be hung from the light poles on mainstreet before and during the festival.

The painting area of the banner is 24" x 49" inches. I decided to do the obvious choice of sunflowers. I bought a little bouquet of flowers at Wal-Mart which included a pretty wilted sunflower and then gathered up some artificial sunflowers I use in still lifes in my classroom. I created a swirled portal around the sunflowers and outlined the finished work in dark violet. I debated about adding the little heart in the center thinking it might be a little too cutesy.

The banner had to be sealed with gloss medium since it will hang outside in Oklahoma Panhandle weather for a few weeks. The finished banners will be auctioned during the festival. I am really anxious to see what my friends and former students do with their banners. I have reserved a booth at the festival and have ten pieces ready to go with a goal of twenty all together to sell.