Cellophane Flowers

by Cristi Smith May 13, 2017

"Cellophane Flowers" (36"x24") by artist Ford Smith has a fascinating origin that proves how an artist's mind sees extraordinary beauty where others see the everyday.
Most followers of Ford's landscapes know that he paints almost exclusively from his imagination, using no references, studies or even sketches as he's creating. He feels his way through, seeing and bringing forth ideas of nature intuitively, using images conjured from his mind.
But "Cellophane Flowers" was different. Ford's newest original painting was inspired by a specific vision he happened upon in the most unexpected of places... in the aisles of The Home Depot.
The store was preparing for a spring display of brilliant blue orchids and Ford observed their distinct beauty and contrasting palette as they were jumbled together in cellophane and cardboard boxes. The bright, velvety blues against the muted neutrals of the cardboard were fractured by the stiff and reflective cellophane as if conceived in a Ford Smith painting.
Most of us might have thought the flowers were lovely and moved on, but Ford took a picture and headed for his studio. He used this photo as inspiration for this first Ford Smith painting of orchids, expressed in magnificent splendor, and as only he could envision.
In signature style, Ford abstracted the crinkled layers of plastic using iridescent golds, sheer neutrals and effected soft pastel mosaics to pulse behind the sinewy buds and cerulean petals of these sensuous blooms.
The painting named itself, given it's unique origin and Ford's lifelong love of the Beatles. A special thank you to the #TheHomeDepot for unintentionally inspiring the mind of one of Atlanta's (and the world's) greatest artists.