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Irises by Michele Elizabeth Field

Irises

Michele Elizabeth Field · 2004

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“This painting of irises offers a close and vibrant look at nature's beauty, inviting you to appreciate the intricate details and rich colors of the flowers as if you were standing right among them.”

ABOUT THIS WORK

A vibrant burst of purple and green dominates this canvas, capturing the fleeting beauty of irises in full bloom. The painting, created in 2004, immerses the viewer in a close-up view, almost as if standing amidst a garden. Michele Elizabeth Field renders the petals with a fluid, expressive touch, suggesting their delicate texture and the way light plays across their surfaces. The composition emphasizes the natural asymmetry of the flowers, with some blossoms fully open and others still tightly furled. This work, made with oil paint on canvas, offers a moment of natural tranquility, inviting contemplation of the simple elegance found in the garden.

DETAILS
Artist
Michele Elizabeth Field
Date
2004
Location
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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What to Notice

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Irises

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01

Upper right flower cluster

The ruffled irises at top right curl and twist against light green. Their dark violet shadows make them some of the boldest shapes in the picture.

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02

The white iris

Find the lone white iris at upper left. Among so many blues, its pale petals act as a quiet pause that draws the eye.

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03

Dark contour lines

Look at the green leaves across the middle. Many blades are outlined in deep blue, which gives them a bold, graphic edge and a sense of movement.

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04

Streaky red-brown earth

The path at lower left is built from short, choppy strokes of rust, pink and purple. The paint sits thick and lively, so plain soil feels alive.

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05

Crowded foreground blooms

Blue irises pile up in the lower right corner, close and large. They pull you into the bed and make the flowers feel near enough to touch.

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THE ARTIST

Michele Elizabeth Field

1953–2014

Michele Elizabeth Field was a painter whose later work, like 'Back on Earth,' explored themes on two canvases.

Read Field’s full story
MORE FROM THIS ARTIST

Further Works by Field

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Foxgloves Foxgloves 2004 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Thistles Thistles 2004 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust White Lilies White Lilies 2004 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Buttercups Buttercups 2005 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Daisies Daisies 2005 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Anemones Anemones 2006 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Poppies Poppies 2006 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Tulips Tulips 2006 · Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
KEEP EXPLORING

More works to explore

Beyond Field: works from the same years.

Unfinished painting Same era · 1980s–2010s Unfinished painting Keith Haring · 1989 Kiki (Smith) Same era · 1980s–2010s Kiki (Smith) Chuck Close · 2000 · Art Institute of Chicago Untitled (Portrait of Ross in L.A.) Same era · 1980s–2010s Untitled (Portrait of Ross in L.A.) Félix González-Torres · 1991 Near the Lagoon Same era · 1980s–2010s Near the Lagoon Jasper Johns · 2002 · Art Institute of Chicago Oonagh MacCumhail: The Case of the Entered Novitiate Same era · 1980s–2010s Oonagh MacCumhail: The Case of the Entered Novitiate Matthew Barney · 2002 · Art Institute of Chicago American Horizon Same era · 1980s–2010s American Horizon Jane Wooster Scott · 2000 · Art Institute of Chicago A Torso / Toxic Drawing Same era · 1980s–2010s A Torso / Toxic Drawing Romero Britto · 2011 · Art Institute of Chicago Wu Street Same era · 1980s–2010s Wu Street Xu Bing · 1993 · Art Institute of Chicago
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