The Story Behind The 'So Called Summer' Abstract Floral Series
18 months on from creating So Called Summer, I’ve been reflecting on why this floral abstract series continues to resonate so strongly with collectors.
Floral abstract paintings have a timeless appeal. Flowers symbolise beauty, renewal, and growth, making them an enduring subject in contemporary abstract art. They also work beautifully across a wide range of interiors, from bold, modern spaces to softer, more relaxed homes.
More Than Just Floral Abstracts
At first glance, So Called Summer is vibrant, expressive, and joyful ❤️
But there’s more beneath the surface.
These original abstract paintings were created slowly over several weeks, built up through layers of colour, texture, and mark-making. That layered approach gives each piece a sense of depth and complexity, inviting you to notice something new every time you look.
They hold emotion, movement, and lived experience, which is often what draws people to abstract art for their homes in the first place.
The Story Behind the Series
So Called Summer, a series of 4, was painted during my very first summer as a professional artist and a stay at home mum. It was a period of huge transition, both personally and creatively.
Painting happened in small pockets of time. Quiet returns to the canvas between routines, responsibilities, and the mental load of navigating new roles. Each time I came back to the work, I pushed them forward, mirroring my own slow growth and adjustment.
These paintings tell a story of renewal, but a rough and ready, perfectly imperfect kind. They reflect the beauty and complexity of change, capturing both how hard that transition felt and the joy I found in pursuing my dream while being present every day for my daughter.
Why So Called Summer Resonates
This series tends to connect deeply with anyone who has experienced a seismic shift in life. Motherhood. Moving home. Changing careers. Any moment where one chapter closes and another begins.
As unsettling as change can be, it often brings clarity, alignment, and unexpected beauty. That tension lives inside these floral abstract paintings, and it’s why they continue to feel meaningful long after they were created.
Why the Name So Called Summer?
The title came from the weather itself. I began painting these works on one ridiculously hot day in the garden, one of only two before the rain arrived and I was sent back inside. Pretty symbolic of how I felt at the time!
Sometimes growth doesn’t arrive neatly or predictably. But it leaves its mark all the same. That’s what So Called Summer holds, and why it continues to resonate.
