Iris Farm
BERNARD MARKS WROTE ABOUT HIS EXQUISITE OIL PAINTING, “IRIS FARM”:
“Iris Farm” is a real-life place in the Hondo Valley of southern New Mexico. It’s located in a beautiful and historic part of southern New Mexico popularly known as “Billy the Kid Country.”
In the 1870s, this valley was the setting for several violent acts of the infamous “Lincoln County War,” in which the Kid and Sheriff Pat Garrett were active participants. There were massacres and back-and-forth killings of people on both sides of the conflict.
Many of the original buildings in the town of Lincoln, which is now a State Historic Site, are still standing, including the courthouse-jail where Billy was held before his final escape and subsequent death in a shoot-out with Garrett. These days, fortunately, the Hondo Valley is more laid back. It’s a very pleasant place to visit and one of the most popular tourist spots in New Mexico.
A unique attraction is the famous Iris Farm, where acres of iris are cultivated for their bulbs. Martha and I were fortunate to be there when the flowers were in full bloom and workers were busy tending them. Back in my Santa Fe studio, I painted this acrylic from sketches and photographs made on the site.
MARTHA MARKS ADDS:
Bernie wouldn’t ever have acknowedged this, but after a few years I can spill the beans. At the time we were visiting the Iris Farm, there was only one worker in this particular scene, which Bernie especially liked for its strong diagonals. But for aesthetic reasons, he wanted another figure in his painting, so he recruited me. Yes, that figure on the left, the one in the yellow hat, is me, bending over the irises, pretending to work when all I was really doing was admiring the colorful flowers.
Top-quality custom-made giclée prints are available for purchase in a variety of sizes.
• Medium of the original: acrylic on canvas
• Size: 20″ x 20″
TO PLACE AN ORDER…
CLICK a link below for the print of your choice. (Prices include all applicable taxes. If shipping is needed, that additional cost will depend on the distance from Santa Fe and the price of packaging.)
1. TOP-QUALITY GICLEE PRINT on thick archival paper, same size as the original: $500
2. TOP-QUALITY GICLEE PRINT on gallery-wrapped canvas, same size as the original: $500
Contact Martha Marks if you’d prefer a different size print.
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This painting and all reproductions of it are © Bernard Marks Fine Art LLC. No unauthorized use is permitted. All rights reserved.