Promise of Spring Art Print

The Promise of Spring is one in a series of delicate watercolour paintings dedicated to the four seasons. Each tiny motif has been hand-painted in exquisite detail, and highlights and shadows combine to give the illusion of carved stone. The interplay of a structured pattern with biomorphic leaf and flower motifs perfectly captures the dance between the organic and the geometrical.

The delicate blooms of a flourishing Wisteria in my parents' garden inspired the fresh hues of this colour palette. I hope it reminds you of the wonders of Spring, when we finally emerge from winter’s slumber, buds are bursting into life and the sun’s embrace begins to rejuvenate our spirits once again.

Design story
A hallmark of islamic architecture, jaali screens are intricate lattice or perforated designs used in windows, walls and building facades to delineate space, provide shade, ventilation and privacy, and to add decoration. Typically made from stone or wood, the designs are composed of distinctive and dynamic symmetries. As daylight shifts, they cast stunning patterns of evanescent light upon floors and walls. Often used in mosques, temples and tombs they also serve as a symbolic veil between the earthly life of the exterior world and the interior world of the spirit.

I learned how to draw this pattern and arch during a wonderful series of classes with Art of Islamic Pattern in 2021. The decorative floral motifs are my own creations, inspired by Persian and Ottoman illumination where stylised flowers and leaves twist and twirl to embellish the geometric structure.