Union Station Ornament

 

Wishing you all a Happy New Year full of family and friends on this last day of 2022!  This year has been full of blessings, and I'm thankful for each and every one.  We've been celebrating Christmas for days with my brother and his boys in town, with all our other family.  I'm looking forward to 2023 and all it's trimmings, and finding new ways to explore the world around me in paint!  Painting number 4139 in 4139 days. 

Serendipity at Home

Diamine's Serendipity ink is on my pen today!  I just HAD to take a break and get out there on such a gorgeous day!  I am taking a few liberties with my landscape, using my Artistic License with this rich blue ink.  It makes a lovely nocturne color, and I'm remembering the snow of just two days ago.  They never last long enough, and if I can't have snow to paint, a December day in the 60s will totally compensate!  Painting number 4138 in 4138 days. 

Suburban Christmas

 

Here is one more holiday painting from Suburban Lawn and Garden to celebrate the season. I love how welcoming this local nursery is to artists, greeting us with snacks and pizza for lunch!  With all the lovely Christmas decor, it was hard to focus on just one subject!  We've had a wonderful day with family, followed by a game of Spades, and now it is time for this artist to rest and recharge.  Painting number 4136 in 4136 days. 

Ghost Creek

 

Diamine's Ghost ink is perfect for the snow covered landscape!  A lovely blue gray that bleeds toward pink in the wet areas.  Those pops of turquoise are the reaction to a little bleach applied with a brush. I don't know what would happen if I flicked some in - maybe a snow effect?  I have so much exploring to do with these inks - and it seems my time is always short!  This ink is the day 6 selection of their Inkvent Calendar - and another wonderful one!  Painting number 4135 in 4135 days. 

Appletini Cedars

 

What a vibrant green ink this is!  I love Diamine's day 11 ink - Appletini - and it IS the same color as the drink, lol!  #diamineinkventcalendar This yellow green will be a wonderful ink to add to my spring palette for those fresh spring greens!  I was going for a dark earthy green, thinking this would deepen when applied heavily, to match a cedars hue more closely. But alas, this is not the ink for that, but a truly fresh spring color that lightens beautifully in the wet areas.  I did not take bleach to this one, so don't know how it will react.  Painting number 4134 in 4134 days. 

Silent Night Hay Bales

 

It is so nice to get a few moments to capture the snow after gathering with family!  With warming temps, the snow won't last long. I'm using a couple of brushes along with my glass dip pen to play with these new colors, after sketching in the scene with an India ink pen  I Love this etch blue ink - Silent Night by Diamine  - day 19 of their Inkvent Calendar!  It shifts with water, but I didn't check for a bleach reaction - I'll have to do that on a warmer day!  Painting number 4133 in 4133 days. 

Barn Pick-me-up

A VERY fast sketch today using another Diamine Inkvent Calendar ink - Pick Me Up!!  This lovely warm brown for a very cold day, is day 15 on their calendar!  It pushes towards the red in such cool blue winter shadow! The blue in the sky is actual from residue left on my tape - I left it since the effect was lovely - but I did not get that from this one ink.  Nice chroma and I love how it moves with water!  By the time I to this photo, my fingers were stinging from the cold and I had to hit the button on my phone with my nose!  No additional video because I was too cold to take my gloves off to do it!  Painting number 4131 in 4131 days 

Alpine Landscape

Love how this new ink from the Diamine Inkvent Calendar captures this cold, snowy day!  There is much chroma in this ink, which really shows it's color on wet areas. The turquoise pops are the reaction to a little bleach, which is lovely!  This ink is day 7 in the calendar - though I've worked much farther than that.  I'll eventually get them all posted, then post them all together at some point.  Seriously, I need so many more hours in every day!  Painting number 4130 in 4130 days. 

Crown Center Wreath

This giant wreath adorns the front entrance into Halls Crown Center, facing the Mayor's Christmas tree which you can see poking out the top, behind the wreath!  This wreath is also a Kansas City icon, with couples and families taking their holiday photos in front of it.  The days are ticking by and Christmas is nearly here.  We have snow and blizzard like winds expected tonight - so I hope to be painting snow tomorrow - maybe from inside looking out - if it really hits -40 windchills!! Painting number 4129 in 4129 days. 

Nichols and Broadway Lights

I loved getting one more trip to the Country Club Plaza in today - and got a free hot Matcha Latte, too! Finishing up some shopping on 47th Street, the Kansas City Store handed me a free drink bookmark when I checked out at the register!  So, I turned around and got it to go, enjoying it on the street.  This place is bustling so close to Christmas, and it's great to see everyone out enjoying the Plaza!  Painting number 4128 in 4128 days. 

Ornaments!

 

It is so fun to paint these giant ornaments while children's choirs filter in and out to sing!  Sitting with Mom at a table, sipping hot tea from Sheridan's, it was a very cushy morning for a quick sketch!  I remember coming here to sing while still at school, to sing Christmas carols.  It brings back fond memories of youth and friends.  These ornaments seem to have been here as long as i can remember, so I'm capturing them in paint!  Love the holidays at Crown Center!  Painting number 4127 in 4127 days. 

Nichols and Broadway Lights

I LOVE shopping AND painting the historic Country Club Plaza along Nichols during the holidays!  The Christmas lights switch on shortly after 5:00, and the wet streets lend themselves well to reflections.  The beauty down here is timeless, and 90 years of Christmas lights is something to be celebrated!  I only wish I had many more days available to paint it's beauty!  With a wintry mix expected Monday - I find myself wondering how gorgeous it would be down here with a blanket of snow on...... and the wheels start turning. Painting number 4125 in 4125 days. 

Window Santa at Crown Center

I LOVE spending time shopping AND painting at Crown Center during the holidays!  The window scene at Occasions is a little slice of Christmas heaven - so, of course, I HAD to paint it!  With ink I sketched the scene, and then took my watercolors to it.  As I worked, the lovely voices of a children's choir wafted up from the main entrance.  Christmas magic is in the air here at Crown Center!  Painting number 4124 in 4124 days. 

Lights on Broadway

 

I LOVE capturing the magic on the Country Club Plaza during the holidays!  This place is iconic in Kansas City, and a must visit spot each Christmas season.  I loved painting the Lighting Ceremony, and have returned here several times since to paint the lights on that wonderful architecture!  I'm lucky to have grown up locally, and have many fond memories of the place. I'm so happy to return to paint the beauty again and again.  I am truly living this artist's dream.  Painting number 4123 in 4123 days. 

Magic at Union Station

 

I couldn't resist painting this iconic scene for the Holiday Reflections Quick Paint last night!  Union Station is one of my favorite places to paint during the holidays, and it is a joy to bring my oils for this. The nocturne lighting is rich in here, and the reflections of the floor are magnificent.  Love that generations of my family have walked this grand hall, and so happy to get to paint it again and again.  I am so honored this painting was chosen from so many beautiful pieces as the winner, and I can't wait to paint here again.  It is truly Christmas when one spends time down here!  Painting number 4122 in 4122 days. 

Cardinal Santa

What fun to open a new door of my Inkvent Calendar to find a special surprise each day!  This vibrant red ink is Cardinal by Diamine, and is extra amazing!  It is truly a knock-out red, one that commands attention.  It washes well with water, and bleaches right back to white (the white dots in the background).  I can't wait to see what else it can do!  Painting number 4121 in 4121 days. 

Nutcracker Drummers

Meeting at Crown Center with Mom and artist friends, I couldn't resist these three nutcrackers in the window of the Occasions shop!  With ink I sketched them, and filled them in with watercolor.  Mom browsed the shops while I finished, then we joined the others to share our work before heading to Spin Pizza for lunch.  Love spending the day at Crown Center!  Painting number 4120 in 4120 days. 

Solar Storm Cedar

Solar Storm is the Day 3 ink in the Diamine Inkvent Calendar 2022, and it is a beauty!  It's rich, dark bluish violet color is a perfect night sky hue!  Pooling the ink allows it to get very dark, and the application of water shows it's true chroma.  The pale, almost peachy light tree trunk color is the result of a little bleach brushed in - just to see what it would do.  I think it might be pretty cool to flick some into that night sky - leaving the impression of falling snow.  I'll try that with the next really dark ink in this calendar.  Painting number 4119 in 4119 days. 

Dusted Truffle Creek

 

Wow!  This Dusted Truffle ink is luxurious! I LOVE all the chroma in this single ink by Diamine! Day 11 of the #diamineinkventcalendar, this brown reveals jewel tones as it spreads into wet areas as warm and cool hues mingle together.  This is such a great brown ink - it has moved right up to my favorites list!  What a wonderful way to finish a day filled with friends and family and robots! Painting number 4118 in 4118 days. 

Yule Log Landscape

This rich brown Yule Log ink from Diamine's Inkvent Calendar is amazing!  All of this chroma comes from that one ink with a little hero from water. The thin pair line towards the horizon is bleach, applied gently, to see what reaction I would get. I love the serendipity of it all!  Painting number 4117 in 4117 days. 

Westin Christmas Tree

 

I LOVE painting the Christmas tree at Crown Center Westin hotel!  It is the only tree in town with an indoor garden and waterfall behind it - which serenaded me as I worked!  Many families come to this tree for Christmas photos, too, and it's fun to see them gathering.  With ink I first sketch out the scene, then I follow with watercolor.  I've started carrying a few fountain pens with colored ink - to add a little spark at the end.  I think I like the added depth - and each ink moves with water, too, so the possibilities are endless!  Painting number 4116 in 4116 days.

Spruce

I LOVE this luscious green!  Chromatic and shimmery, it pushes towards turquoise with a little bleach and water!  This is the Day 4 ink of the Diamine Inkvent Calendar 2022, and a standout green.  With all my recent holiday painting, I haven't posted the others yet.  Perhaps I'll have to do several at a time to catch up!  I'm working on watercolor paper - 140lb cold pressed which is never use for watercolor, but it works well for me methods with fountain pen ink.  The glass dip pen is a must for these daily inks, because I don't want to fill a fountain pen for an untried ink.  Once I know I love it - well that's another story!  Painting number 4115 in 4115 days. 

O Christmas Tree

The morning light was stunning on the Union Station Christmas tree - golden and warm as it streamed in through the massive windows.  I sketched this one first with India ink, then laid down watercolors as usual.  Today, I brought 4 additional fountain pens with me, loaded with the primaries and a green.  I next added little bits of ink work, followed by my water brush pen, then a little more fountain pen work.  I like the depth this achieves, and there is so much more to explore!  Painting number 4114 in 4114 days. 

Snowman Tree

 

I LOVE painting the Christmas magic at Suburban Lawn and Garden - almost as much as shopping here!  With such a lovely collection of Christmas items and tropicals - I always take home goodies after painting!  This place is so welcoming - providing the artists with drinks, snacks and lunch - and so many lovely things to paint!  I settled first on this Snowman themed tree, sketching in ink, then filling in with watercolor.  I have a few fountain pens with me loaded with colored ink, but only used them a little at the finish.  This paper really grabbed the color, too.  Each handmade paper is different, and in love exploring them all!  Painting number 4113 in 4113 days. 

Union Station ATC

This is my Day 2 ink of my Diamine Inkvent Calendar - Yule Log!  A rich, warm brown ink that lightens to a reddish tone with water.  I have a little water brush pen that I've filled with bleach, and when pulling it through this ink - it bleaches to a pale turquoise!  Today is our monthly Urban Sketchers KC meet up, and we're gathering at Crown Center.  So, I arrived early to walk the link over to Union Station, and try out this beautiful brown ink here!  Painting number 4112 in 4112 days. #diamineinkventcalendar 

Bliss

 

It's Diamine Inkvent Calendar time again and my Day 1 ink is Bliss - and just look at that beautiful chroma!  Choosing a glass dip pen in a matching color, I sketch my lines with the pen.  I then add ink along the top with a dropper, floating water along the edge with a wash brush.  I add more ink with the dropper, allowing it to mingle naturally.  I did use a little bleach, to see how it would react - but it only lightened, without added chroma.  It's a lovely color ink though, and i think it will may be really great to use in sunny skies.  Painting number 4411 in 4411 days.  #diamineinkventcalendar2022

Country Club Lighting Ceremony

 

What a fabulous experience to paint the Country Club Plaza Lighting Ceremony from this vantage!  From start to finish, it was such an amazing night!! The lights, music and merriment from the crowd was a delight to be a part of, and the acrobatics involved were really a hit!  I thought one girl would soon be sailing into the audience from the force of being swung around so fast!  Working larger - to fita 20x16 frame, I moved back and forth from inks to watercolor, once my composition was down.  I painted the light masses first, adding more color as I worked, pushing the darks pretty quickly.  It is important to establish that road map early, especially with so many wonderful distractions!  I delivered this painting today to the Country Club Plaza, and I can't wait to see the next chapter to this story!  Stay tuned!  Painting number 4410 in 4410 days.