An Art Life in Bloom

Ann Gargotto’s floral works are evidence of her deep affection for gardening and her unwavering reverence for the boundless beauty of nature. Discover the inspiration and insights that have helped her art-making blossom.

by Colleen Smith

The forms of flowers inform the majority of Denver-based artist Ann Gargotto’s paintings. Within the world of the garden, she has painted peonies, tulips, sunflowers, hydrangeas, orchids, roses, rose of Sharon, hollyhocks, dahlias, and colorful mixed arrangements to acclaim. 

When painting florals, Gargotto often works from reference photos she has snapped with her iPhone, “but I don’t want to copy a photograph and be a photorealist,” she notes. “I want my work to be painterly. I might do a study to get the right color notes, or I might be immersed a day or two working from fresh flowers. I might go outside and set up and practice painting a flower from life. I’m working primarily with light and shadow.” She relies on Grumbacher, Winsor & Newton, and Sennelier oil paints for her pieces, and prefers to work on linen.

“I just want to paint beauty,” Gargotto says. “I’m not making any statement; I don’t have a political message to get across. When I see beauty, and if there’s any way I can, I take up my palette and transform that beauty into an oil painting.”

How to Grow as An Artist

Gargotto offers eight tips for soaking up insights and cultivating a creative life: 

Study with the best. “Take a class with a teacher you’re scared of,” Gargotto says. “Take a workshop that pushes you outside your comfort zone. Find an artist whose work you really love, and go to their website and see if they’re teaching. See if they can mentor you or if they have a Zoom class or a workshop.”

Commit to studio time. Gargotto typically paints five days a week. “You can’t wait around for inspiration,” she notes. “Paint a lot. It’s important to make painting a steady habit. Sometimes I have monkey mind, but I make myself go into the studio. Nine times out of 10, I’ll get engrossed and work for hours.”

Emulate masterful painters. Gargotto keeps art books open and artwork images tacked to her bulletin board. “I’m obsessed with Andrew Wyeth and [John Singer] Sargent. I’ve pored over the works of Richard Schmid. It’s not cheating. You’re not copying them. You couldn’t if you tried.” 

Use your phone to dial in on composition. Gargotto uses her phone camera to shoot a photo, then employs the filters to create a black-and-white version of each image. “It’s very helpful with values, light and shadows,” the artist notes.

Color last. “Oftentimes, I paint in black and white first,” Gargotto says. “It takes time, but if I have the patience to do that, it makes everything so much easier.” 

Persevere. Don’t give up even when the work makes you want to cry,” she says. “Top-notch artists know there are no shortcuts. You have to try it and try it and try it and try it and try it. I won’t give up. It may take me a lot longer, but I’ll figure it out.” 

Know when to pause. “When I get discouraged with a painting,” Gargotto notes, “I’ll put it away before I end up wrecking it from frustration. I place it in ‘timeout.’ I might revisit it soon or months later, and I’ll see it differently. Be disciplined enough to put it away.”

Seek a community. Gargotto paints with about 25 artists who meet weekly in artist Daniel Sprick’s Denver studio. “If I ask, Daniel is so generous with his advice,” she says. “And in that group, I’m trying so hard to improve. It’s a must to surround yourself with other artists. Find a community of serious artists, if possible, even if it’s online.”