This vibrant 30″ square acrylic was one of those pieces that immediately caught people’s attention when it went up in the gallery recently. Full of colour, energy and layers of flowers and foliage, it had a real presence on the wall. The reaction to it was fantastic, with so many people commenting on the colours and the way the different flowers seem to tumble into one another.

But it also got Serena thinking… What if the same idea could be captured in something much smaller? And so the companion piece was born.

Rather than simply reproducing the large painting, Serena created a little 4″ square version inspired by the original. It has the same sense of colour and movement, and you can immediately see the relationship between the two, but it has its own character too.

We really like the idea of companion pieces because they give a painting a second life.

The large original is very much a statement piece. At 30″ square, it has a real impact and is designed to be noticed. At £800, it is the sort of painting that can become a focal point for a room.

The little companion, on the other hand, is much more accessible. At just 4″ square and £50, it brings that same colourful spirit to a much smaller space — and a much smaller budget. And that’s really the beauty of it.

You don’t necessarily need a huge wall to enjoy an original piece of art. A little painting can have just as much personality as a big one. In fact, we think there is something rather special about seeing the two together. The photograph above shows exactly what we mean: the large painting making the statement, with its little companion sitting underneath almost like a miniature echo of the original.

It also got us thinking about the way people collect art.

Sometimes you fall in love with a particular painting but don’t have the space — or the budget — for the large version. A smaller companion gives you another way into the artist’s work. And if you already own the large painting, the little one could become a lovely addition somewhere else in your home.

One idea. Two paintings. Two very different scales.

And perhaps that’s one of the nicest things about making art — an idea doesn’t always have to stay the size it started.

Sometimes, the big painting needs a little companion.

And at £50, this particular little one is certainly a lot easier to take home!