Bloom: new art exhibit showcases the beauty of P.E.I. bouquets

Emily Howard's latest art collection is all about stopping to smell the roses all kinds of flowers, in fact. The 33-year-old is preparing for her new art show, Bloom, August 24 at The Guild in Charlottetown.

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Howard shares a well-lit basement art studio with her other self: she's also a busy hair stylist, calling her combined business Artist and the Chair.

"I began, like every self-taught artist, with Mr. Dressup and watercolour paints," she jokes.

Her first paintings as a teen were abstract. Over the years she's gone through several phases, showing series of beautiful, luminous women the past few years. And now, thiscollection of bold florals.

"I just wanted to do something that, when you look at it, it's calm. Everyone loves flowers," Howard said, sharing she always has fresh flowers in the house.

'Winging it'

Howard was inspired by bouquets created by a local business, Island Meadow Farms in York, P.E.I., who gave her photos of arrangements from last year's harvest: peonies, roses, dahlias, gladiolas, lamb's ear so large and luscious-looking you can almost smell them.

Some of the arrangements, outlined dramatically in black, practically jump off the white canvases. Some are embellished with shiny metallic flakes.

"I sometimes am just kind of winging it when I am painting and I started to kind of outline things in black, and it would really make it really dominant," she said. "It does add a lot of drama, that's for sure."

Bloom opens at The Guild in Charlottetown with a reception August 24 from 7 to 9 p.m., and runs through September 3.

It'll be Howard's second major show, and her first since having her daughter and taking time away from painting.

Flowers part of show too

Island Meadow Farms will showcase its work too, displaying fresh bouquets inspired by the paintings as part of the installation.

"I just want people to come and view them and enjoy them," Howard said. "Just go and sort of immerse yourself in something beautiful."

Paintings will be for sale, at prices ranging from about $400 to $1,600.

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