Flowers - The Hidden Passion of Ellen Rice opens Feb. 16, runs through March

Delaware painter Ellen Rice is well known for her luminescent coastal paintings, portraits in oils and pastels, and inspirational works, but seldom has anyone seen her photography.

Rice will combine her love of flowers and love of photography in a monthlong exhibit, Flowers - The Hidden Passion of Ellen Rice, starting Saturday, Feb. 16, at the Ellen Rice Gallery in Ocean View.

"I don't paint flowers. I painted them once, and although the painting sold before it was finished, the laborious process turned my passion into work. Both flowers and photography are a release for me, and I don't want to change that! Good photography is not as difficult as painting," said Rice.

"I am continually entranced by the intricacy of patterns in these creations we call flowers. To capture their depth, color and textures, it takes having a good camera and lenses and knowing what you're doing with them and with your subject and light. The joy is fully enjoying the moment you're in, and the gratification is almost immediate," Rice adds.

Rice's exhibit focuses on orchids (which she grows), roses, other flowers combined with butterflies and birds, and groupings of multicolored spring blooms.

During the exhibit, Rice will offer prints on archival fine art paper at prices she says are substantially lower than prints of her paintings. "Paintings require so much more time," she said, "some taking up to two years or more to complete."

Flowers - The Hidden Passion of Ellen Rice runs from Saturday, Feb. 16, through the end of March. Rice will be signing prints from 2 to 4 p.m., Feb. 16. Refreshments will be served.

The Ellen Rice Gallery is lat 103 Atlantic Ave. in the Country Wicker building, Ocean View. Off-season hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday. For more information, call the gallery at 302-539-3405. To see Rice's extensive body of work in oils and pastels, visit www.ellenrice.com.