In early April, Park Slope artist Jenny Belin launched 100,000 Flowers, a series of floral drawings and paintings to support local healthcare workers and commemorate those who have lost their lives to COVID-19.
Photo courtesy of Jenny Belin
"I had just finished watching the 2002 documentary Matisse meets Picasso, on YouTube, and was inspired by how both artists were incredibly prolific while working in solitude," Belin explained in an email. The 100,000 Flowers project began with three small works she painted in one sitting and blossomed from there.
Belin has now completed more than 50 paintings, typically 8”x10” or 9”x12”, featuring a variety of blooms in wistful shades of pink, grey, and black, occasionally accented with pops of mint green or violet. "Greys and muted colors seem to fit the mood of these works," she said. "I was particularly moved by the grey landscapes that Picasso made, and of course Guernica with its grey tones and eerie atmosphere. Since the beginning of New York’s lockdown, there has been a fog that seems to hover over our city and neighborhoods. Even sunny days feel dark. I hear ambulance sirens throughout the day and night."
Affordably priced at $75, half of the proceeds from each flower painting will be donated to New York-Presbyterian | Brooklyn Methodist Hospital in Park Slope which is just a few blocks away from Belin’s home studio. She has already donated more than $400 to the facility.
Photo courtesy of Jenny Belin
Belin paints fresh bouquets purchased from local bodegas, or references Victorian botanical illustrations or photos of wildflowers. The vessels in Belin's paintings are inspired by her collection of Sheila Ross vases. A friend suggested titling the project 100,000 Flowers to reflect "the high number of people who have died and will have died from the pandemic," Belin said. While she may never reach 100,000 flowers, she will continue to paint the moving floral works daily until at least autumn.
"I’ve been really focused on keeping to an organized schedule—which helps keep my momentum going," she noted. To stay positive, along with working on the series, Belin says she has been creating installations of new work, considering new approaches to her artwork, and redecorating her studio.
Along with flowers, Belin also paints delightful pet portraits and graceful tributes to feminist icons. She looks forward to the day when the lockdown is lifted and it is safe to share her work with the public again. "There is so much uncertainty about when and where it can be exhibited," she notes. For now, you can follow Belin on Instagram or visit her online shop to see the 100,000 Flowers series. Click here to read about my pre-lockdown visit to Belin's studio back in February.
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