Water Lily - Art Series?

Last summer we visited Montreal's Botanical Garden with the bonsai club, and this time despite the heat, we managed to see some different areas.  Much to my delight we "stumbled" upon the water lily and koi pond (they use black plastic to line the lily area) where I took several photographs.  This one, which I may have shared last summer, is my favorite.                             

Waterlily in Montreal Botanic Garden

Each time I looked at it, I tried to visualize how I might paint it. So when thumbing through the printed collection of "this-one-might-make-a-good-subject-for-a-painting" prints recently, I pulled this one out and decided to draw it. This year I have re-discovered both my love of sketching and the value of doing so - especially when considering painting the subject. As I drew it, I became more and more fascinated by the reflections of both the lily and the light and the movement of the water.   Below you can see how I have interpreted not only what I saw in the picture* but also what might have been there if I had taken the photo a few minutes earlier or a few minutes later.  In my drawing the photograph has become a stylized, almost Art Nouveau rendition.      

                  

Tracing of my drawing of the water lily

 

Now, what to do with it?  Well, I definitely want to paint it which is why what you are looking at is a tracing of my sketch (I use a softer lead pencil to trace than to draw and this photographed more distinctly).  I will transfer the tracing on to canvas - including some of the stylized lines, and then paint a relatively realistic water lily.

 

And/or I can trace all of the drawing on canvas, get imaginative with color, and have a different interpretation of the scene.  Think of the water in purples, pinks, and greens (what color would you make the lily pads? the lily itself?).  It might be a lot of fun to do, and who knows how it might turn out?

 

And/or I could use fabrics and make an appliqued version and wind up with a quilted wall hanging (or should I attach the resultant "quilt" to canvas and have a triptych?). 

 

So many possibilities!  What do you think?  Do you have suggestions, questions, or concerns?

 

* The small "R's" you see below the waterlily are merely notes to myself that those  shapes are "Reflections."