CLIPBOARD : Cottage Flowers-Backdoor Studio

Even before visitors enter Cottage Flowers-Backdoor Studio, they can see that artists Jane Elliot and Sharon Davidor have a special way with nature.

The weathered-wood fence and gate in front of the 1930s-vintage combination residence, floral design studio and art gallery in Cannery Village are festooned with baskets of flowers that look fresh-picked from a meadow. The tiny front yard displays the day’s assortment of cut flowers, and neighbors drop by to see what’s available, just as they would at a European flower market. The antique French florist’s buckets are usually filled with something special, such as delphiniums, miniature sunflowers, peonies or anemones.

There’s always something creative going on, even though the flower shop and gallery are only open three days a week. On one day, Elliot might be found in her garage workshop designing a bride’s bouquet or fastening silk flowers to an antique straw hat. On another, Elliot and Davidor might be in the studio planning a new exhibit, painting or just relaxing and dreaming.

As a floral designer, Elliot favors country-garden flowers, which show up frequently in her watercolor paintings on display in the gallery. However, her latest specialty is the watercolor narratives. Customers bring family photographs for her to paint into a series of images depicting family history or a special event, such as a marriage or birth. A small amount of text is added to explain each photograph’s significance. Sometimes customers bring pictures of their grandchildren for Elliot to paint and form into a wall display of linked miniature canvasses.

Davidor’s art is more abstract, and reflects her background in earth sciences. A sign saying “Please Touch” is posted near her work, and is meant to encourage viewers to use both tactile and visual senses. Found objects such as sea shells, rocks and pieces of wood are strung together into a sculpture to be examined piece by piece.

Some objects are turned into mobiles. “The idea is to slow people down and encourage them to look closely,” said Davidor, who also does graphic design.

Elliot and Davidor met at a journal-writing workshop several years ago and decided to turn Elliot’s home into a studio and flower shop in April, after she retired from a counseling career at UC Irvine. “I’ve always painted and done floral design, especially weddings,” Elliot said. “But now that I’m retired, I can focus on these very enjoyable processes full time,” she said.

The artists plan to create one-of-a-kind gifts and offer specially commissioned services, such as Elliot’s narrative paintings and the blank journals, books and invitations that Davidor illustrates and binds by hand.

Hours: Friday, 9:30 to 5:30; Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 to 3:30, and by appointment. Open evenings during the summer. Call for details.

Address: Cannery Village, 508 31st St., Newport Beach

Telephone: (714) 673-7344

Miscellaneous Information: Weekly floral services for businesses and restaurants are available. Graphic design and watercolor commissions are invited.

Cottage Flowers-

Backdoor Studio