Held by Vines: A Portrait

March 25, 2025 2 Comments by cmartzloff Flowers

Held by Vines – 30″ x 24″ x 1.5″ – Oil on canvas – $4200

This piece is the first in an ongoing series I will be working on this year, exploring relationships. Viewing the female form in the context of woman, mother, daughter, and sister. As well as considering the influence of the surrounding environment. As I develop this series, I find that each painting reveals something to me—sometimes a memory, sometimes a feeling. Held by Vines is no exception. The central figure carries an expression that is both strong and reflective. She seems enveloped by the natural world around her, shaped by its presence.

As I sit with this piece, I recognize parts of myself in her. Color, detail, and expression come through, yet there is a certain timidity in her gaze. It’s as if she is both here and holding back. She is surrounded by a world of floral motifs, patterns, and organic shapes—elements that seem to embrace her. The florals, to me, convey a quiet hope. This is something I relate to and have carried with me—a belief in growth, resilience, and beauty in uncertain moments.

This painting didn’t arrive all at once. It began as a small 10″ x 8″ collage, assembled instinctively from magazine cutouts. That first act of layering and arranging helped me find the composition’s rhythm. From there, I translated it into a series of suggestive prints. The next stage was into a 20″ x 16″ oil painting, refining details, colors, and atmosphere. Now, at 30″ x 24″, the image has taken on a new life. One that feels expansive and immersive, yet still deeply personal.

I found myself returning to this imagery at each stage. The continuity of the process itself reinforced something I needed to understand. Some artists explore variations between versions, but for now, this repetition feels like an essential part of the journey.