California Poppy

by Gordon Beningfield

Title

California Poppy

Artist

Gordon Beningfield

Medium

Painting - Watercolor On Watercolor Paper

Description

An appropriate state flower for the "Golden State," the California poppy's brilliant orange-gold flowers conjure visions of sunshine and the lure of gold. Early Spanish explorers found California poppies growing abundantly on hillsides, inv alleys, and along ocean shores. Dazzled by this splendor, they christened the poppy copa de oro or "cup of gold." The genus name, Eschscholzia, honors Johann Fredrich Eschscholtz, a German physician and zoologist who accompanied Russian expeditions to the Pacific Coast in the early 1800s. Although its native range extends only from southern California to southern Oregon, California poppies have been planted widely in the Pacific Northwest and other parts of the country. Well-loved for its bright displays, the California poppy is a favorite of gardeners. Forming a mounded clump about a foot tall, the feathery, blue-green foliage contrasts strikingly with the vivid flowers. The California poppy prefers well-drained, sandy soils in full sun.

Gordon Beningfield was born in London, but spent his childhood in rural Hertfordshire. He began his career as an ecclesiastical artist, and his commissions included engravings of seven glass Memorial Windows for the Brigade of Guards in the Guard's Chapel, London. Although he began to build a reputation for himself as a wildlife artist in the early 1960s, it wasn't until 1974 that a Look Stranger television program brought his work to the notice of a larger audience. After that, Beningfield was regularly in the public eye with periodic appearances on the BBC's In the Country program. The quality of his work, of course, steadily enhanced his reputation as one of Britain's leading painters of the countryside. His work first appeared in book form in 1978 with the publication of Beningfield's Butterflies, followed by Beningfield's Countryside. Many of his works have been displayed in international exhibits. His art was first immortalized on postage stamps in 1981 when his paintings of Britain's butterflies were chosen to be featured on that year's special British stamp issue. His appearances on television and publication of books made him a familiar artist in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Please note the "Fine Art America" watermark will not appear on the painting or any print reproduction.

Artwork Copyright © 1990 Wind River Studios Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the Copyright. WRSH Stock Number XB12813

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April 6th, 2022

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