For the first of our “The Process” columns, in which we talk to an artist about how they made a particular work of art, the Believer interviews painter Dorian FitzGerald about his Table Decorations, Oprah Winfrey Party for Sidney Poitier. FitzGerald’s past subjects have included a Fabergé egg, the throne room of the Queluz National Palace in Lisbon, and Elton John’s sunglass collection. We did this interview by Gchat one morning. He told me of how he exhibited the painting in a show he organized with two friends of his, who “left for overseas soon after.” FitzGerald was born in 1975 and has shown work in New York, Montreal, and Toronto.

—Sheila Heti

THE BELIEVER: Did you have any paintings in mind as inspiration when you were making this?

DORIAN FITZGERALD: No, nothing specific. Certainly, I have enjoyed paintings of flowers in the past—in particular, some of Odilon Redon’s pastel paintings. And I have always wanted to do a painting of flowers, as they have been a staple subject for artists throughout the ages.

BLVR: What is it about flowers that compels artists?

DF: For me, as I suspect for others, it’s partly a technical challenge—rendering from life, and getting the paint to be as compelling as one of nature’s most attractive creations. Of course, there’s the symbolic realm, too: roses are as loaded with symbolism as any other flower. These flowers are a table decoration from a party thrown by Oprah Winfrey for Sidney Poitier’s birthday.

BLVR: Where did you find the image?

DF: On a cover of O at Home.

BLVR: And when you saw it, did you immediately know it was something you wanted to paint?

DF: Yes, definitely. It was one of those lightning bolts— certainly one of the strongest I’ve ever felt. It was such a perfect summary of all of the concerns occupying my mind at the time. And I had been wanting to paint flowers for a while. So it was perfect.

BLVR: So part of your mind was kind of on the lookout for flower pictures?

DF: Yes. Let’s not talk about The Secret, ha.

BLVR: So you saw the magazine on a newsstand….

DF: Yes, while on lunch break, working at an art-supply store. I had no money on me, but a coworker, when he saw how excited I was, lent me the money so I could get it on the spot. I might have freaked him out a little bit.

BLVR: How soon after that did you start painting?

DF: There was a lot of photo-editing to do. It took a few months before I could start painting it in the flesh, and I...