Bee and Rudbekia

 

The rudbekia is blooming and the bees are buzzing!  I love how these blooms have spread all over the fields, and they are lush in this year of heavy rain. We're headed to Raymore's Independence Celebration, and enjoying it with Mom, Danny, Jacob, and Michaela's family, too.  Painting number 4932 in 4932 days. 

Cosmos!

Garden inspiration is on the easel today and rhe bees on my cosmos have captured my heart!  I grew them last year, the first time in years, and fell in love with their airy habit and cheerful blooms that required little from me during busy days.  I saved seed, but didn't need to, because many volunteers have popped up where I had them last.  So, I've been moving them to almost every bed in the hope that they will bloom profusely and pop up again next year.  The busier I am, the more I lean on the vigorous growers in my gardens to do the heavy lifting. I also spotted a rare pink lily at the local nursery today, and I may just have to go bring that home, too!  Painting number 4942 in 4942 days. 

Cosmos Bee

 

My volunteer cosmos is starting to bloom - and the bees are thrilled!  I'm transplanting them into many beds to add their cheerful color everywhere! With their light, fern like leaves, the blooms almost float in the foreground.  I hope they will fill in to sunny and shady beds alike, for an effortless bloom time that nearly goes till frost! Painting number 4922 in 4922 days. 

Forsythia Bee

I love painting the vibrant yellow of forsythia when it first blooms in the spring! The bees and out, too!  I have planned these in four different places abs I might just move some out to the distant hedge rows for added beauty in the landscape.  Mom is taking me to the Greenwood Tea Room for lunch - so I'd better get a move on!  Painting number 5147 in 5147 days. 

Bee and Sunflowers Four

The bees were buzzing all around me as I painted these beautiful sunflower. I try to remember to wear my hat outdoors - because the bees and hummingbirds are attracted to my hair, and sometimes get too close!  I am using the sennelier watercolor half pans again today, ace the feel is a little creamy off the cake. My daughter told me they have honey in them, so that accounts for that - and maybe the bees, too!  Painting number 5155, and this one is also headed for Powell Gardens next week! 

Cosmos Bee

I love painting the bees on my giant cosmos!  This flower towers above me - and is loaded with blooms!  My paper is a new handmade cotton paper that is less porous than most.  It feels more like 140lb cold pressed, so I'm not a fan.  I like the way ink behaves on it, so I may reserve this paper for only ink in the future. I am also trying new Sennelier half pan watercolors, and the jury is still out.  They feel a bit creamy pulling off the cake, but I was hoping for stronger pigment without layering to get it.  It's the first time I've tried this brand, so let the exploration begin!  This painting is number 5154 in 5154 days, and is headed to the gallery at Powell Gardens if someone doesn't buy it first! 

Cosmos!

 

Another beautiful day in the garden, and I'm painting cosmos that are taller than I am!  Oh, how the pollinators LOVE them!  Tiffany, Michaela, Casper and Kirby joined me for a little ink and watercolor time today, as we played with our new Summer Fun palettes from Chubby Mermaid.  Tiffany painted a whole field of sunflowers, Michaela a single sunflower, and Casper painted so MANY paintings, starting with the sunflowers first!  I pulled out my journals to see what I need to do to complete them, and added a couple of entries to a brand new one, too.  I've been wanting to get to these cosmos blooms for days, and I'm so happy to finally get to them!  What a great day!  Painting number 5141 in 5141 days. 

Marigolds

 

What a perfect day to spend with artist friends and family, in a garden, with ink and watercolor!  Michaela and the little ones joined me, so I found this lovely spot by the train garden to paint.  The boys played among the trains and in the caboose, while I finished.  We finished the day by stopping at the Cafe and gift shop.  The new Longhouse is such a great space for gathering!  Wish I could do this every single day!  Painting number 5138 in 5138 days. 

Bee and Black-eyed Susans

 

What a beautiful day to spend in the garden with my oils!  The cool front has brought delightfully cool weather for the next few days, and I am taking advantage!  Gardening, painting, and all things outdoors are on my schedule as I finish commissions at night.  The heat week build back in, but for now I'm basking in the.bliss! Now, it's time for a little roller skate fun with the family before getting back to work!  Painting number 5125 on 5125 days. 

August Lilacs

 

I couldn't believe when I walked out the door this weekend and found lilacs blooming in the garden!  An early bloomer in spring, it had really faded in the hot days of August.  With the cool down this week and very little rain, here they decide to bloom again!  Planted by my Grandma Frank, these fragrant, old fashioned beauties bring back memories of picking them as a girl to put in a vase in the kitchen.  Their sweet fragrance filled the downstairs!  Though I am busy, I HAD to take time out from gardening to paint Grandma's lilacs that are actually blooming in August! When a few more open, I'll bring them inside to cherish those special summer lilacs.  Painting number 3884 in 3884 days. 

Bee in the Garden

 

I get out pretty early for garden work on days like these, and often find painting inspiration, too. The bees don't seem to care about our high heat index, and these phlox just keep on blooming though it feels like 114 degrees out there!  I stay in the shade when I'm painting or working on days like this, and watering the beds early to help them survive this crazy heat.  I sure hope it keeps them healthy!  The atmosphere is thick enough to cut with a knife, and you can even see it in the photo.  Ink and watercolor for this quick paint, with a little extra ink at the end.  Painting number 3876 in 3876 days. 

Bee and Wildflowers

 After spending so much time working in the garden lately, it's my sweet reward to take a break and paint it!  With all our rain the grounds are lush, which means I STILL have so much weeding!  We are preparing for our middle son's wedding here in October, so I am working as many hours as possible in the gardens.  Thank goodness I have so many painting options right outside my door, and flowers are a perennial favorite for me to paint!  I love cheerful yellow flowers every day of the week, so they are on my easel! Painting number 3874 in 3874 days. 

Bee and Rose of Sharon

 

After working with my daughter for a couple of hours on my website, I had a lovely stack of handmade paper waiting for me when I arrived home!  It is a heavy weight, rough textured, deckle edged handmade paper by artisan Bhoori at Leather Village!  It is so nice of them to send me paper to try that I switched my plans for painting small, and instead tried out this new 10x7 paper. It accepts ink very well, and I found several layers of watercolor were required to get the intensity I wanted.  I can't help but think this paper would be extra nice for ink alone, and I must try that on the next piece.  I love the weight of heavy papers like this one - I can hardly wait to use it again!  Painting number 3866 in 3866 days. 

Impressions of Rose of Sharon

I love capturing last light in the Rose of Sharon, before the petals close for the night, but I wish I'd left myself more time to do so!  When painting a flower that closes it's petals, it is important to get that paint down with plenty of time to do the finish work.  I was rather absorbed in the edges and nuances of color as the golden light hit, and suddenly I could see other blooms closing that were already in shadow!  So, I finished in a rush, and I can still see things I would continue with.  I think I need another bold bloom on the mid-bottom right, and to cross the upper plane a third in from the left with foliage.  Perhaps that bee I dashed in is a wee too large?  They move so quickly that I didn't get a good shot at him before he left.  I was playing with my palette knife and tinted whites on those petals (when I lost track of time), and found it very fun indeed!  I think I'll revisit this tomorrow to finish these few things, if I find the time!  Painting number 3864 in 3864 days. 

Bumblebee and Sunchokes

The bumblebees LOVE the blooms of the sunchokes - so, of course, I HAD to paint them!  As I worked in my gardens today, the butterflies and bees were constantly on these blooms.  Once I got the chance, I did a small painting before the light was gone. It seems I am forever in a race with the sun!  This plant actually makes Jerusalem artichokes under the ground!  Painting number 4328 in 4328 days, and day 8 of the 30 day #stradaeasel painting challenge.

Bee and Oleander

The lovely scent of Oleander fills the air here, day and night.  It is everywhere, and yet one must be careful, all parts of it are deadly toxic.  Working in  miniature, I choose ink and watercolor on handmade paper.  All is drawn loosely, as I use a continuous line on most of the flora.  So many things are blooming in Mesa, Arizona - I wish I had more time to paint!  Painting number 3377 in 3377 days. 

Zinnia Garden

 Today finds me painting in the zinnia garden at the Overland Park Arboretum with the tiny bumblebees!  These little bees are all over these blooms, but I did not encounter a single one in the garden by the pond!  I love sketching the beauty of these blooms, sitting in this peaceful place with the fragrance of the garden all around me.  I am blessed indeed.  Painting number 2809 in 2809 days. 

Bee in Roses

 These sweet roses were calling my name today!  Even after our hot, dry spell, they continue to bloom.  So, with ink and watercolor, I paint on a miniature 3x3 handmade cotton paper, dodging raindrops to get it finished.  I've spent so much time painting in my gardens during covid. I wonder what will fill my winter days when the flowers are no more? Painting number 2801 in 2801 days. 

Hydrangea Bee

I had planned to join some fellow watercolorists at the Overland Park Arboretum this morning, but thunderstorms put a damper on those plans at the last minute!  So, as I watch the rain on the front porch, I begin to sketch.  Planted two years ago, this Little Lime hydrangea has grown and filled out beautifully!  The heads are larger this year, and taller, too.  With ink and watercolor I capture them in miniature, only 3x3 inches, as I listen to the patter of the rain.  I love rainy days for painting on the porch, with a mug of hot tea at my side!  Painting number 2748 in 2748 days.

Bumblebee and Hollyhocks

Oh it felt so good to paint pick up my oils again!  It seems I've used ink and watercolor most of the month, but these blooms begged for oils! I was out painting this when my phone reminded me of the acrylic pour workshop!  Not quite done, I returned today to knock in those pops.  With artistic license I repositioned blooms, adding one of the bumblebees that are so interested in the gardens now!  There are a few more clouds today, but that light was already in.  Now I wish I had painted this larger!  Painting number 2724 in 2724 days.