A Garden of Tulips

At the start of a new school year, I was planning art projects for the K1 and K2 children, including one for Mother’s Day. I looked for flowers that would be simple enough for them to paint. The year before, we painted daisies, and it took quite a bit of practice to get the petal shapes right. That was when the idea of tulips came to mind. As I searched for pictures online and studied their forms, I found myself increasingly drawn to their beauty. This led to the inspiration for this colourful painting of tulips. While painting, I realised that although tulips share a similar form, there are many subtle variations in shape and detail. It reminded me of how wonderfully creative God is — even in something simple, there is endless beauty. I am grateful for the gift of painting, which helps me slow down and notice these details. In the end, the children did not paint tulips for Mother’s Day. Instead, we visited a sakura exhibition and found it easier to paint cherry blossoms by dabbing shades of pink. But the tulips did not go to waste. This cheerful garden of tulips welcomed the children at the school door each day, bringing a bright start to their mornings.

INSPIRATION