Carolyn Gavin is a painter, illustrator, and designer based in Toronto, Canada. A flower child of the 1960’s, Carolyn grew up in South Africa, left to travel, and relocated to Canada where she currently lives with her family.
Earlier this year, Clarisse (aka CStar9) connected with Carolyn via webcast to discuss her creative origins, the unexpected path from a pile of wood to an abstract painting, and why most Canadians don’t paint their houses pink.
- The 10 cards that represent you in The Flower Box: how were they chosen?
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I paint a lot of flowers and florals, so they took what was existing, which is lovely. If my work is picked up and used as-is, that’s a dream. I don’t have to sit down and create something for a job or art director.
- You create such an incredible range of work – paintings, textiles, books. What was your journey to get there?
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It’s taken a long time. My family is pretty creative. My mom did mono-prints, painting—everything under the sun. As a very young child, I was guided into the direction of painting and creating, including papier-mâché, pen and ink, watercolors, and more. I went on to do graphic design for three years, which launched me into a design career.
Then I traveled, immigrated to Canada, and my brother and I started a family business, Ecojot. First I designed, then illustrated the covers of our new eco-stationery line. Working with recycled materials and bright and fun colors, and making the notebooks locally right in Canada, was innovative at the time.
One thing led to another and I was picked up by an agent, and my work took a turn for the commercial: apparel, bedding, editorial, book covers, book illustrations, and fabrics, etc. Recently I started teaching and doing workshops and retreats. But I’m also trying to focus on my painting! I’ve come full circle. I really just love to paint – that’s what I’d love to do all day.
- How do your new ideas for your designs begin?
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One thing can lead to another, creatively. A wood pile is my latest obsession. I’ve painted on wood panels for a long time. While I was in Belize, I came across a building site and found this pile of discarded wood. I picked up a bunch of pieces to use and loved the unevenness and roughness of the material. That seemed to dictate the direction of the painting—such a beautiful organic flow and I was so inspired. However, it was at the end of my time in Belize, just the last few days, so I was painting like a fiend all night long, trying to get it all out. And then I had to come home. - Tell us about your studio space.
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Right now I’m in my small studio. It’s very bright, but it’s a small space, which kind of translates into small work. Sometimes I work upstairs in a bigger space that has an easel. That’s where I do my larger pieces. In winter I go to my studio in Belize. It’s a lovely get-away, a place for playing and experimenting. It took me about two months there this year to finally get into this new spate of work, which I feel is a nice new direction for me. So, I think each space where I’m at, dictates what I’m doing.
- You’ve said your work is strongly influenced by your growing up in South Africa. Can you tell us more?
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South Africa is hot, colourful and noisy. I don’t know exactly how that translates into my work, but, I guess… people there aren’t afraid of color and vibrancy in their lives. I now live in Canada and when I first came here, I couldn’t believe how gray and dull the weather is. I think people maybe, as a result, are sort of scared of color and of standing out in that way. That translates into architecture too—they’re scared to paint the house blue or pink. In hot countries, however, it’s different. And so that’s how I grew up – with lots of color and pattern everywhere and a lot of nature around me. I was outside most of the time, immersed in it. It became a part of me. Now, when I go to a new country, it always inspires something new. When I’m here in my studio in Canada, I’m creative, I work, but it’s a bit more forced. When I am away, I might be more inspired. But of course that changes all the time. Tomorrow, I might feel very inspired.
- Your work can be very intricate, especially with botanical forms. What does research look like for you?
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I don’t really call it research. But if I am looking at something that needs more information, I probably go find it. You know, just on the Internet.
With the wood in Belize, I asked them, what kind of wood is it? (It’s Emery wood.) Where does it come from? What do they use it for? So I’m not just painting on a simple piece of wood. I like to know the background of something, especially if it’s found or discarded by someone.
- How do you know when a piece is finished?
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That is a difficult question, especially when you’re doing abstract. You can go on forever. That is something I’m learning along the way. I can’t stop learning about how to paint. It never ends!
When it’s finished is when I guess I just feel that sense of, Stop! You’re going to overdo it! And then you step back. When you come back the next day, you may add a little line here, a little bit of color there, but that’s basically when it’s done for me.
- Since we’re talking to an audience who loves paper mail and especially postcards, can you tell us about your relationship to paper? And to snail-mail?
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I love paper. I mean, every kind of paper. I love thick, textured paper, and Japanese paper, and handmade paper. I go to a mill in Montreal sometimes in the summer, and I pick up the most amazing handmade papers, all from 100% rag recycled from t-shirts. It’s the only mill I know of that still does this kind of stuff on a very artisanal basis.
I don’t ever write a letter anymore to anybody. But I used to, and I used to love getting mail in return, so I do love the whole notion. It’s a beautiful thing.
- What’s a type of media that you’d love to learn?
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I’ve been trying to work bigger, but that of course depends on the space that I have at the moment. I want to do monoprints, and cyanotypes. And work with big oil pastels.
- You teach a lot of workshops and retreats. What’s your teaching philosophy?
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I love to impart my energy and some of my experience to other people and give them joy, and to teach them how to make their own joy. I think art is so meditative and therapeutic. When I’m painting, I kind of lose myself in the painting and go somewhere else. And that is very joyful.Art is a very creative process that gives people a way to cope with stress in their life. Musicians do it – everybody in the arts world does it. It’s not a new thing. But if I can help others do it in my own small way, I think that’s important.
- What are you working on now?
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A Joni Mitchell quote: “Love must be the birds in spring. Only lovers hear them sing.” It’s from one of her songs; she is a poet!
I love type and words, and I love to illustrate around them. This is where my graphic design background comes into play. I can put elements together on a page and they work. Well, not always! But, anyway, here’s another one. This is from a book: “The birds are singing.” I painted the type first and then the birds and flowers around it. It all works together in terms of shapes and balance.
One thing can lead to another, creatively. A wood pile is my latest obsession. I’ve painted on wood panels for a long time. While I was in Belize, I came across a building site and found this pile of discarded wood. I picked up a bunch of pieces to use and loved the unevenness and roughness of the material. That seemed to dictate the direction of the painting—such a beautiful organic flow and I was so inspired. However, it was at the end of my time in Belize, just the last few days, so I was painting like a fiend all night long, trying to get it all out. And then I had to come home.
I love to impart my energy and some of my experience to other people and give them joy, and to teach them how to make their own joy. I think art is so meditative and therapeutic. When I’m painting, I kind of lose myself in the painting and go somewhere else. And that is very joyful.
To learn more about Carolyn, check out her website and Instagram page. There’s also a studio tour and a fun art demo to paint along!
And now, for the traditional giveaway: Clarisse is planning to send 4 postcards from the Flower Box set to 4 randomly picked postcrossers! 🎉 To participate, leave a comment below sharing a flower that is special to you, and come back this time next week to check out the winners!
177 comments so far
I love peonies! I wish it was peonies season all the year :)
No words, very beautiful
Frangipanis/plumerias are my favourite flowers. I love how delicate-looking and smooth they are, and how they have a burst of colour at the centre, which shifts abruptly into a whole other colour. They're not native to my country of birth, but there are lots of them there, so they remind me of my first home.
I love orchids! They remind me of my childhood...my mom had tons when I was growing up.
Beautiful works! Loved them!
My Favorite flower is Jasmine. I love the cute small white petal and the sweet smell. It was also my late mother favorite flower. She used to plant many at our house garden. Whenever I see or smell them, it reminds me of my childhood :)
I love so many types of flowers, but for sentimental reasons I particularly love Honesty (Lunaria). My grandma gave me a packet of seeds when I was 8. She died soon after, but the descendants of those original seeds are in my garden now, more than 50 years later.
Sunflowers have always rocked my world!
I love cactus flowers. They usually only stay for about few hours and start to wither and die after. Every time I see the process of blooming and fading, I feel sad but also understand the importance of living life to the fullest and cherishing the beauty of the present moment.
Orange blossoms are my favorite! Their scent is heavenly and they promise a delicious fruit snack in the future.
The cards are so gorgeous, love the illustrations 🧡
My favorite flower is the FRENCH TULIP.
I love all flowers, mostly for their colour and scent. For many years my favourite flowers, more for scent than colour, have been freesias. But they seem harder to find now than they were in the past. Ottawa is alive with tulips in May every year so I am very fond of them as well.
Tiliablossem, lindebloesem in Dutch - for it's scents.
I love color, the U.S. needs color!!
Thank you for this post!
Tulips are my favourite.
Tulips because I am Dutch!! and I love having orchids in the house, they seem to enjoy being with me
Tulips have always been very special to me.
Very beautiful postcards! Tulips have special meaning for me ever since my Mom asked for them on her grave ...
I love sunflowers as they remind me of my childhood and jasmine and frangipani blossoms because of their smell...
Your cards are wonderful, I like very much each of them. I have many flowers in my garden, I can't stop to buy new flowers! Thank you very much for your offer, it's very kind. I like the much roses but any other flower is a great pleasure for me. I live in Alsace, in the east of France where the most famous flower is the Geranium, each house have them, and also each village and city, Colmar is the most florished of them. Have a nice day and take care. :)
These are lovely! I like ranunculus and zinnias but wouldn't mind finding any of these paintings in my post
I love daffodils. Where I grew up, in rural New Zealand, daffodils meant spring-time. We were emerging from winter and the lambs would be leaping around and playing, and everything turned so green 🌱🐑
Tulips are my favorite because they are a part of spring, one of my favorite times of the year. I used to know a woman who lived in Holland, Michigan and talked about the Tulip Time Festival that city has every year. I hope that I have a chance to visit the Tulip Time Festival someday.
Thanks for sharing this interview. Love flowers!
I love hydrangeas
I like roses
My favourite flowers are poppies.
I love hydrangeas - balls of color in my garden. I cut and bring the bouquets into the house to spread the joy!
Love all... So will be happy with one postcard.
Zinnias are my happy flower. They always make me smile.
One of my favourite flowers is Jasmin, so delicate, so fragrent.
Tulips, daffodils, crocus, roses, ... Wild flowers ...
Recently I bought the Flowerbox : 10 x 10. So I am very keen to enjoy more of this artist. I love the colours, the joy in every card. It puts a smile on my face. Thanks for this interview!
Go Carolyn! I love the story.
this summer my favourites, the hydrangeas, are topped by the HOLLYHOCKS in many, many colours ... and all the bees love them, too :-)
Peonies 🥰
Checkered lilies (Fritillaria affines) are so cool; a lily with a checker board on it!
The postcard designs are lovely. That particular postcard collection is now on my list!
Your cards are wonderful. My favourites are the roses for their beauty and for their lovely fragrance! Roses fill me with joy.
Salmon coloured carnations, because my mother loves them. She had them in her bridal bouquet 68 yrs ago.
Thank you so much for sharing your creative story, Carolyn.
My favorite flowers are Sun flowers. They have a rich and bright color. They always brighten my day when I have them in a vase at home. I go every year to the sun Flower festival on the Island where I live.
After completing housework I buy myself flowers - it makes me happy and gives me the incentive to finish the dreaded task! I like sunflowers and hydrangeas.
My flower of choice is the Newfoundland Pitcher Plant, found in wet bogs . More than 100 years ago Queen Victoria chose the Pitcher Plant to be engraved on a newly minted Newfoundland Penny . In 1954 the Newfoundland government designated the Pitcher Plant as the official flower of the Province of Newfoundland.
I love winter aconites because they are flowers which show first that winter is over ans it will be warmer soon!
Dandelions are special to me. My Dad would always pick the first one each year and bring it to my Mom. A show of love and the arrival of spring. Of course, as kids we also held them under our chins to see if we liked butter or not too. :)
Thanks for sharing your story, Carolyn. I love your paintings, so bright and beautiful!
My favourite flower is the "tète a tète narcis" (a small daffodil) - for me they are the heralds of Spring and I love their sunny colour. They always remind me of the poem by William Wordsworth about daffodils ('I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud').
My favorite blooms are Wisteria. Their heady scent and drooping, lush bouquets bring me such joy as they ring in the Spring season.
I like all flowers, especially poppies and cornflowers
When i look at gerbera, i remember the sweet memories of my past. I used to give a single gerbera almost everyday for weeks. I pick up different color of gerbera, everyday. Luckily there’s a florist on the ground floor of same building where i work. To the same person i gave the gerbera to, i told that i would love to receive a gerbera in return incase i being hospitalised in future. Unfortunately, we never meant to be together…but i must admit that i never regret about any of these & it was one of sweet moment in my life.
Thank you for the very interesting interview!
I like sunflowers - they stand tall and face the sun.
When it comes to blooms on other plants, I like Magnolia, the very first to bloom here in the spring, and lilacs, because of their fragrance.
I love poppies. Each spring I grow them in my garden. Many red, but also pink, yellow and white. The red ones represent much sadness.
Poppies. The first time I visited France, a group of us were driving in the countryside, came around a bend, and saw an enormous field of scarlet poppies. We all yelled "Poppies!" at the same time, as if it had been planned. The driver screeched to a halt, and without a word of planning, we all ran into the field to be enveloped by the poppies. It was glorious.
I really like hydrangeas. I think it's because they remind me of my childhood, and I love their many small petals and the vibrant blue and purple colors.
I love margarites. They look like big English daisys, are so bright and tenaciously at the same time. Looking at them makes me happy everytime.
Thanks for the interview! I like gerberas
The illustrations are SO beautiful! 💐
I love peonies and carnations, they were also the main stars in my bridal bouquet 😊
I love all the plants, garden flowers and wild plants!
Thistles are beautiful, or the flower of artichoke!
My beloved flower is a Peony! This article was so much fun to read, thank you.
My favorite flower is Osmanthus.
It blooms orange-yellow flowers in autumn and emits a sweet fragrance.
It is one of the three major aromatic trees in Japan.
When you wake up in the morning and open the window, you will be surrounded by this sweet scent and have a happy morning. Thanks for sharing this interview☺️
Thank you for the interview Clarisse, what a lovely collection!
I love orchids, jasmins, roses and poppies..
Hello and I enjoyed reading the interview. I love peonies, allium and heliotrope.
Thank you for this great article and the opportunity to win a great prize! I love the flower named ranunculus. It's just so beautiful that sometimes I can't believe that it is even real! I also love dahlias, too. So many different flowers to choose from!
I am an artist and your designs remind me to become more nature oriented, thank you.
Cannot choose just one flower, I live in Florida!
Wonderful interview! My favorite flower is a lilac. Scent is connected to memories. In spring, I can smell a lilac bush without knowing where it is. Takes me right back to my childhood home where my mother had a gorgeous, heavenly scented lilac bush.
Absolutely gorgeous. I love any colorful bouquet of wildflowers.
Her artwork is so beautiful! There are so many elements of joy in each piece. Thank you for this well written and interesting article.
A flower that is special to me is the poppy. My father loved to grow them and had many in his garden.
I love sunflowers, they look so happy and are good for bees and birds.
Thank you!
spring is for daffodils, all kinds--the welsh tinies, the bigger king alfreds and the beauteous Thalia, an orchid-shaped white daff with the most heavenly scent.
I adore honeysuckle. You can be walking through a dark wood and the heady fragrance hits you before you see it. Such beautiful, exotic looking flowers. And great for pollinators here too 🧡🧡🧡
Gorgeous art! I love lavender 💜 and cornflowers 💙.
As much as I love black do I love "colourful"! Beautiful art! How blessed to be creative and can spend your life creating your art.
Just one flower? Impossible. But my favourite flower must be the monkshood (probably).
Right now I am madly in love with cyclamen. The ones that flower in the wild and the fragrant ones are extra special to me.
My favourite flower is the Iris. So graceful resting by water. I always try to get out and see them in full bloom
Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium / Eupatorium) is one of my favourite flowering plants, especially this time of year, when the bees and butterflies all hover around the flowers. It is beautiful to watch them at work on the lovely pink flowers.
I think your art is amazing. I love peonies. So lush.
What a inspiring article
My favorite bloom is a "poppy
I love snowdrops, would love to have them in my small seaside garden!♥
Beautiful works! Thank you for this nice article.
Happy Flowercrossing!
Thanks for the great article! It's hard for me to pick one flower (can a field of wildflowers count?) but if I have to choose one then I would pick tulips. r
Such beautiful work!
I have always loved tulips and maybe even more now that I can't grown them in my garden any more. The reason? The local squirrels love them too, and dig them up. I have learned that I can't win against the squirrels so I always buy potted tulips in spring to keep inside my house!
Clarisse, thank you for introducing us to Carolyn! Weather's influence on color is interesting to ponder. I live in the Midwest, where it can be a bit gray, too, as well as flat. As a result, I think many of us go inward to create more color in our world.
Foxgloves are one of my favorite flowers, also annual asters.
I like lilies of the valley very much because they smell so wonderful.
Lilacs. Lilacs are my favorite. The smell, the texture, the colors…the joy they bring.
White flowers are my favorite - tulips, lilacs, peonies, phlox, roses, lilies...
Lovely your work Wish can paint like you I love tulips
thank you for the chance
Beautiful and whimsical. I love tulips and orchids - bright colors!
I love queen-of-the-night and lilies!
I love wood anemones, When they appear you know that winter is left behind. Thank you!
I love plumeria. Beautiful colors and fragrances. Reminds me of my vacation in Hawaii.
My favourite flower is the gerbera. They’re so colourful and cheery! My nan was a flower arranger. Sometimes when I was young I would go with her to the florists to get her flowers and she’d always let me get one gerbera to put in a mini vase on my bedroom windowsill. Now every time I see gerberas I think of my nan and our trips to the florists!
There are lots of flowers I really like. Some years I have a favorite flower I focus on. This year I'm really crazy about peonies and bought a peony bouquet for the first time ever. It was so beautiful to see the blossoms open and become so full. This reminded me so much of my grandmother who had a very big peony bush in her garden. Thx so much for your lovely paintings :-)
I also love peonies. And your work is amazing. Hurray! :D
Azaleas are my favorite flower, my mother got them when I was born, planted them in the backyard and have been there ever since.
I really enjoyed this post! I paint as well and this artistic journey is so interesting! My favorite flower is the rose, but I love flowers in general. I grow lots of irises, which is the official State Flower of the State of Tennessee, USA. I also have crepe myrtles, rose of Sharon, mums, gladiolas, oxalis (shamrock) and several others. They are all inspirational!
I love many different flowers like peonies, tulips, and dahlias.
Love seeing Clarisse's articles on here. I love calendula flowers!!
I love Harebells. When I was little I used to find them on the common near my grandmother's house, and the little room that I used to stay in had harebell patterned wallpaper too.
So much colour and beauty in Carolyns work, i like it a lot.
Love all kinds of flowers, what comes to my mind now as a favourite one are freesias, love their scent aswell.
wow... wow... wauw...
The copihue (Lapageria rosea) is a stunning flower from southern Chile. One of my favourites for sure.
I love the gerbera flowers. All their bright colors always make me happy
I love sunflowers. My grand-ma used to have them in her garden. Plus we have some and almost every year, there is a squirrel that leaves with the full Head and it is a thrill to see him running with it in his month.
I love roses as it was my grandmother's name :) Now I try to get things with roses on them for special events (like dresses with roses for graduation). It's been a neat tradition I started for myself <3
Morning Glories! My favourites! From the pinky-nail sized red ones to the white ones and shades of purple. Yellow and blue ones used to be seen here too but so much land clearing has changed that :(
I love all kinds of flowers.
One that is very special to me is the little blue forget-me-not.
My Grandpa had them in his garden and thought they were more like weeds. We had them in the garden of the home I grew up in.
And I have a beautiful ring & earrings with the flower on it, my parents gave them to me, for my 21st and 30th birthdays. We gave my older sister a pair of earrings for her 50th and next week we'll give a pair to my younger sister for her 50th.
I love Dahlias! 🌸
Wonderful illustrations! I like chrysanthemums,
these flowers bring joy for a long time :)
Your illustrations are gorgeous and so very colorful! I am glad I had the opportunity to read about your artwork. I will have to look at your fabric. I am very interested! About my favorite, well lilac for its perfume and white daisies for their delicacy. 😊
Great interview! Fresia, lilac and jasmine are my favorites.
I love her work. It's so bright and colorful! Thank you for the interview.
My favorite flowers are general "wildflowers" with sunflower being my favorite.
I love gerbera daisies and peonies. I also love tulips as they were my mom's favorite flower. When I see them, I am reminded of the joy she expressed whenever she recieved them. Thank you for sharing your work.
Gardenias and daffodils. My great great grandmother planted them on her property and they still bloom today
It's so excellent and beautiful work!
There are full of my favorite things, flowers,birds,and I love it colorfulwork.
I would like to receive her postcard!
I always fascinate with the small yellow flowers that come with the green leafy veggie called, Choy Sam (Chinese: 菜心). It is my first time learning eatable flower because I have to eat the whole thing. My mom prepared it by boiling and pour some shallot oil on it as dressing. Whenever I go to morning market, I will always get the Choy Sam that bore flowers. So yummy and beautiful.
I Love my Peony Garden. I have Pink Hawaiian Coral and a deep red Japanese sword dance variety.
I love roses and lilies. I also like all yellow flowers:)
My favorite flowers are roses and pionies.
I quite like Japanese roses, also known as beach roses. They always remind me of dunes (where they grow en masse in Germany) and the sea. :)
Lovely work, workshop with Carolyn would be gorgeous.
This time of the year there are trees that beautifully bloom changinging totally their color, could be pink, yellow, purple or white. They remain few days in bloom, as flowers fall down, bringing people and thing bellow a lovely flower carpet. The name of those sectacular trees is 'ipê'
Beautiful artwork! Love the bright color and amazing details, they grab your attention and I just can't look away. My favorite flower is alstroemeria. For exactly the same reasons .. Thank you for sharing your art.
Amazing! My favorites are cornflower and poppy and lilacs.
Happy to learn about your journey and work here! My favourite flower is the Marguerite. It is part of my school crest actually and the symbolism left a deep impression on me. The flowers symbolise the purity and simplicity which should characterise our relationships at every level.
I love your free-form style...you find yourself inspired and it just flows out from your fingertips!! So fun!!
Your work makes my heart smile! I love all types of wildflowers because just like me, we can be placed anywhere and adapt but if you don't keep an eye on us, we will take over. <3
Peonies, dahlias, and wildflowers are some of my favourites. Sadly, peonies and dahlias don't grow well in the Southeastern U.S. However, I love all flowers for the colour and joy that they bring.
I love dahlias. So many different shapes and colors. I'm growing several in my garden, the bees also like them!
I love lilacs. My sister and I picked them every Mother's Day for our mother when she was alive. Thank you for your beautiful art
Jo-Anne
I loved reading this article as it adds to Carolyn’s art… which I admire! I love the lilac blooms as my grandmother loved to see and smell her’s blooming. I made sure my mom had a lilac bush in her new apartment garden. Now I’ve planted one in my own new
garden. I’m excited for the next bloom!
Interesting. Pink and white tulips are my favorite!
For me, Hibiscus as this is the last flower that my late Ibu (mother) planted.
I love jasmine! My mom likes to plant jasmine in garden. Every year when the jasmine flowers bloom, my mom would pick a few jasmine flowers and put them in my pen case to make it smell better. At the same time, there is a very famous song in China called Jasmine. Jasmine is in every aspect of my life.
Roses are my favorite flowers. For many years I had a rose named Beverly - she had a great smell.
I love lilacs. I can’t get enough of that amazing fragrance.
Delightful postcards! Thanks again, Clarisse, for another outstanding interview!
I love bellflowers (Glockenblumen). I love their colour, their shape and that they find their place in the meadow, although looking so fragile. And I really loved the illustrations of the bellflowers in my childhood-books.
I love daffodils! They remind me of my grandmother.
I love tulips and Irises in their splendor of colors!
I do like sunflowers. They have been planted by neighbours in their front yards, and I pass them when I walk to the mailbox to mail postcards.
My favorite flower is Gypsophila
In Chinese, it means the sky full of stars, very beautiful artistic conception
Beautiful postcards, my fav. are Gardenia & Tulips
beautiful postcards
I love flowers!!!!!!!!!!!
there are amazing!!!!!!!!!💖💖💖🌻🌼🌷🌹
My favorite flowers are definitely peonies 🌺 symbolizing motherhood, femininity, prosperity and wealth
But all flowers look amazing and give happiness
Your work makes me smile!
My favorite flowers are Sunflowers! Especially the big ones! :D
They are so bright and always remind me of wonderful summer days. :)
What a lovely article. Thank you so much for posting it with all the beautiful photos! My favorite flower is the hydrangea, followed closely by the chrysanthemum (a/k/a "mum").
I'm a Zinnia girl, love the colors!
I love hollyhocks - they are so bright and colorful and come in so many varieties!
Thank you for the interview, it was very interesting to read. My favourite flowers are roses and tulips.
peruvian lilies are special to me because a friend likened them to me. we're no longer friends so the memory is bittersweet, but c'est la vie :)
Red Rambling Rose-When I was six years old we (my parents and 6 other siblings) would pass by this old ladies house. I complained to my mom why didn't someone trim the old woman's rambling rose bush and other flowers at her door way. Mom said "Anna Stop and Smell the Roses". I didn't understand what she meant by that statement until years later that the old woman was blind all her adult life and the flowers guided her to her front door. I appreciate flowers so much because I understand how they would draw you to their beautiful fragrance and colors.
Anna (Burg01Lady)
I love Spikenard. I like how it smells and how the flowers cluster.
I love plumeria! They have a sweet scent and are Hawaii's lei flower.
I love paradise and I love their flowers. Going to the Hawaiian island, first thing I pack is my watercolors and journal. Hibiscus are my jam.
I love love love dahlia"s, especially growing them. The more you cut the more are growing back! Sadly enough I don't have a garden or a space with a lot of sun, so for now I just dream about them.
I like iris
Carnation! It's so sensitive.
Thanks for the interesting interview. I love freesia flowers. Aroma and elegance)
What a wonderful interview!
I love pansies. My grandmother always got pansies as soon as they were out in the spring and our deck was covered with them. They were beautiful and brought the butterflies and bumblebees to visit every day. It's a fond memory and I think of it every time I see a pot of pansies.
I enjoyed reading your interview.
I love Roses. My late Mum had a beautiful dedicated section in her garden to her Rose Garden in Kitwe,
i live in northern British Columbia. i love the wildflowers, especially the columbines, the water lilies and the dogwood.
Thank you for the lovely interview and article!
My favorite flower is lily-of-the-valley. It's the flower for May (my birth month). They're so dainty and smell so sweet!
I love peonies ! They remind me of my childhood...my mom had tons all around the house when I was growing up. I love also poppies for their beauty and their meaning! Congrats for your colorful flowers postcards. You’re very talented! Thanks for your contest!
It has to be bottle brush for me mainly for the lorikeets that come and feed on the blossoms. Flashes of yellow, red, and bright green flitting between the red, pink or yellow of the bushes.
Lilies! My grandma’s name was Lilly- so I can’t help but feel love to her or her being with me when I buy or are near Lilie’s!!
the colours are incredible. good job!
lavender！flowers are fresh life and deserve our love.
Lovely interview! I have a little notebook that Caroline Gavin designed! I drew a snail in it, but so far the rest is blank. My favourite flowers are nasturtiums, I find the leaves just as interesting and beautiful as the flowers.
I enjoyed reading about her creative process. I recently retired and feel it is time to try experimenting with some creative endeavors....painting in particular. My favorite flower is the gardenia. I chose that as the main focus of my wedding bouquet. The fragrance is one of my favorites. I love colors but this white flower with its beautiful petals and leaves caught my eye long ago. I guess this flower will be my first painting subject.
I've loved Marigolds since I was about 5 years old. I remember moving into a new house when I was that age, and although my mother wasn't a gardener by any means, she did plant marigolds in the planter in front our big picture window, and they thrived. I love the orange of marigolds and the associations I have with that color and growing up in the 1970's. I also love the smell of marigolds, even though they aren't perfumey like roses. To me, marigolds put me in mind of my happy childhood in San Jose, California and my mom trying her best and succeeding!
I especially like any rose as my grandpa was successfully growing some of them sharing their intrigueing fragrance with us. His rose garden no longer exists but I can still find those roses in other places whose special fragrance I will never forget. A loving memory.
Lilies remind me of my dear grandmother!
Thank you for the art work that you do and share with the world! I have always loved the gumamela (known as hibiscus elsewhere) because of the variety of colors and kinds. It is also something that one would want to appreciate while still on the plant because it withers quickly when plucked off the plant.
The pink rose is meaningful to me. It represents hope, change, and a rosy future.
The artworks are so lovely! I love flowers (hence my profile picture) but my favorite is jasmine! Small but always fragrant. My late father planted jasmine in our garden long time ago and everytime it blooms, I'd like to think he's there watching me from above ♡
Flowers and birds - nature, it's fine!!!🌞🍃🍂
Such a great article about this talented artist! I love all flowers but currently my garden of zinnias are my favorite...so colorful and each one unique!
As a fellow South African, emigrated to the US, I must say that the most beautiful flower in the world is the King Protea!
Thanks for sharing Carolyn's story and her journey!
Sunflower is my favourite flower, it's so refreshing to my mind:)🌻
I love hydrangeas because they look so fluffy!
Tulips are one of my faves. This year my Yukka plants bloomed so bright such gorgeous white flowers. I grow pumpkins on a stick every year and it’s a fav of everyone. I love your postcards. Beautiful
I really love cacti! 🌵
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