That's the name of the flower, a pink lady slipper - the latin name for it, which I don't know, translate to venus' foot. Hence, t title.
I am not sure that this photo is in focus. Here is something I started today. We saw these flowers when we were hiking in Middlesex Fells this weekend. They are a type of wild orchid. I was pretty impressed by what Massachusetts can put forth as a "wildflower". I have stitched into this canvas prior to stretching it. Firstly by closely following the outline of a mockingbird in the lower right hand corner. Don't worry, you can't see it. I can't even notice it when I am working on the painting in the studio. Secondly I attached two canvas hummingbird cut outs. Now that I am painting, I am ignoring the sewing; but I don't know if that will work in the end. I drew the images and worked out the composition taking the position of the appliques into account. But I think unless I really build up the paint and acheive a certain thickness the attached fabric will continue to read as a distraciton. 
I started working with this after finishing the small painting, but stopped once the muscles in my shoulders started to bother me. I used to work a lot with ink and paper. I like paper as a medium, and I like ink; but I haven't worked it out. This piece is on the backside of an earlier attempt at paper and ink - an attempt I won't be showing anyone. I need to search out the spark that was my earlier fascination with the media. It hasn't yet resurfaced.
I did work back into this one. But I am hesitant to call these Finished. It feels more like I walk away from them.
This, I decided, is my venetian red period. Something about leaving the underlying rust coloured gesso unpainted gets me all excited. (too arty for my own good). Here is another in the newest series of work. And we are eager to solicit opinions.
And I love it. After many months, a move, and unpacking I have found the focus to tie up this piece I began in Arizona. And I really think it progressed beyond what I had originally hoped for it. Time to get started on something new.
I spent a little more time with this piece today, and I took a better photo of it as well. I was using the auto focus on my camera lens, but it didn't quite seem to do the trick in the last entry. I apologize for the glare that is reading on the right hand side of the painting, but most of the surface was wet when I snapped the photo; and it is hard to reduce that shine and still have enough light for a good exposure.
