Kauai Christie's Art
Tropical Flame — Original Watercolor
Tropical Flame — Original Watercolor
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Tropical Flame
A deep magenta Hawaiian ginger rises through layers of brilliant tropical foliage, glowing against saturated greens, turquoise, and blue.
Tropical Flame was painted in 2018 and inspired by one of the things I love most about red ginger: its extraordinary depth of color.
The blossoms can move from vivid pink and crimson into almost wine-colored shadows, while the surrounding leaves seem to contain every possible version of tropical green.
But there was something else about the flower that always made me smile.
To me, a tall ginger bloom looks a little like a daytime tiki torch rising through the jungle.
And from there, the title practically named itself.
A Tropical Flame
To me, the title carries another meaning as well.
There is something about being in the tropics with someone you love—the warm air, slower evenings, the music and the beautiful surroundings, and freedom from ordinary routines—that can make an already familiar love feel even more illuminated.
It's about the flame that is already there—the kind that can be stoked, strengthened, and made brighter when two people have the chance to enjoy one another.
Perhaps that's why I have always loved the idea of flowers as a gift between people who share a life. They can say something without needing many words:
I see you.
I choose you.
And I feel and share this flame with you.
In Tropical Flame, that feeling is wrapped in the colors of the islands—lush greens, brilliant sunlight, deep magenta, and just a little sweet heat. 🔥😉
Color, Light & a Little Fire
The composition places the ginger almost like a flame against a dense world of tropical leaves.
Rather than treating the surrounding foliage as simply “green,” I wanted it to feel alive with changing color — lime, yellow-green, turquoise, teal, blue and deeper forest tones moving through overlapping leaves.
Against all of that cool color, the ginger becomes the heat of the painting.
Deep magentas, crimson reds, pinks and violet shadows build through the flower, allowing individual petals to emerge from one another while the bloom remains a single powerful form.
And then, almost hidden among the leaves, comes one sharp flash of tropical sunlight.
Painted in Watercolor
Tropical Flame was created entirely in watercolor, using the transparency of the medium to build both the saturated flower and the luminous surrounding foliage.
One of the technical disciplines I value most in watercolor is allowing the paper itself to create the whites.
There is no white paint in this painting.
Throughout the artwork, the luminous white areas are the preserved white of the watercolor paper.
There is one deliberate exception in technique: the brilliant starburst of sunlight striking the leaf was carefully carved back into the paper, along with some gemstone shimmer accents, creating a crisp flash of light against the surrounding transparent color.
It is a small detail, but one that becomes especially rewarding when the original is viewed closely.
Artwork Details
Original Watercolor · One of One
Title: Tropical Flame
Artist: Christie Marie Elder
Created: 2018
Medium: Watercolor
Artwork Dimensions: 14" H × 21" W
Framed Dimensions: 23" H × 30" W × 1½" D
Price: $10,500
Framing
Tropical Flame is professionally presented in a substantial dark wood frame with a turquoise silk-wrapped liner and coordinating inner wood accent.
The framing was selected specifically to become part of the visual experience of the painting.
The rich dark wood gives the piece weight and warmth, while the turquoise silk draws out the blue-green tones running through the tropical foliage. Against those cooler colors, the deep magenta ginger becomes even more striking.
The finished framed work has significantly more presence than the artwork dimensions alone suggest, creating a substantial 23" × 30" presentation on the wall.
Professionally framed and ready to hang.
Artist Signature & Documentation
Signature: Signed by Christie Marie Elder on the front.
Each original artwork includes a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) together with an artist biography for provenance and collector records.
Copyright
© Christie Marie Elder. All rights reserved.
Purchase of the original artwork transfers ownership of the physical artwork only. Copyright and reproduction rights remain with the artist and do not transfer with the sale.
Shipping & Delivery
Kauaʻi: Complimentary gallery pickup or local delivery is available for original artwork purchases.
Off-Island & International Collectors: Because each original artwork requires specialized packing and insured transport, shipping is quoted individually based on the artwork and destination.
Before purchasing, please click the “Request a Shipping Quote” button on this page and complete the short form with your delivery address. We’ll arrange the appropriate professional packing and transport, then contact you with the complete shipping quote.
Once you approve the quote, we’ll send you a secure invoice through our online gallery for the artwork and shipping.
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