The Parga Flower Seller

Whilst holidaying in Parga north west Greece, I was looking for inspiration for my next painting. Beautiful as it was in the port of Parga nothing jumped out and hit me. Then, one evening whilst enjoying dinner in a sea front restaurant I caught out of the corner of my eye an old woman trying to sell dead or dying flowers to people in the restaurant. She was nearly blind due to the cataracts in her eyes and kept bumping into the tables. Later, on our way back to the hotel I saw her slumped in the gutter, still clutching her dead flowers. This was my inspiration, I asked whether I could photograph her, she obliged. Her name is Elainie, and apparently well known around the town. I gave her 5 Euros for the flowers.