"For poets and painters, roses are the flowers of love. In my case, my wife deserves some credit for the connection—Nanette has always been tremendously fond of roses. I can't count the times when a dozen long-stemmed blooms have heightened the romance of a lovely evening.
As a playful gesture of love, I've dedicated this lavish "Rose Garden" to Nanette and our four beautiful daughters—the five most prrecious "blossoms" in my garden. In fact, I've hidden my wife's initials five times among the satin petals of this extravagant retreat. If you can find them all, you will have dallied among the flowers with your eyes open wide to the beauty all around.
My inspiration for the "Rose Garden" came, as these things so often do, on one of my rambles. I discovered this picturesque gate with fabulous red and yellow roses pouring over the wall in a cascade of color. A soft morning mist touched the subtle reds and yellows with fire.
To convey the satin sheen of the blossoms, I used a rare pigment actually made, so I've been told, from ground rose petals. I used elaborate glazes to try to heighten the luminescent hues; I hope the result justifies the effort and expense!
The Rose Collection will conclude with two companion paintings—detailed studies of individual red and yellow roses to flank this Eden-like setting. This is only fitting: after finishing The Rose Garden I suppose I still had a desire to try painting a few more perfect roses."
