Irises

Miguel hand picked every flower he painted.

He searched out Flower Markets and exotic flower shops in China Town. He was up at 4 am to make sure he got first pick and brought to the studio the flowers, carefully wrapped up in newspaper; muses for the painting he would paint next.

When a flower wilted before he had finished painting it, he’d go out in search of a similar specimen and would carefully replace it in his composition. Miguel never used photographic references.  Never took a shortcut. The only two ingredients he used in his work, light and life.