Three Magnolias

We have a magnolia tree outside our bathroom window that was supposed to be a dwarf. We wanted it to be its very showiest right in front of that first floor window. It's now over the roof of the second floor, but its lower blooms still flirt with us through the glass. I had to go out and gather a few of them so I could experiment with the idea of showing light falling on and through extremely light and dark subjects at the same time. I kept them perky by sticking the stems in little florist tubes of water but they still drooped after hours of my struggling with them. In the end, they gave their lives for this painting.