Pink Zinnias

 

Painting zinnias always reminds me of Grandma Bessie!  She introduced me to these beauties the first season I helped her in the garden, all those years ago.  I remember the giant red zinnias the most, as we dropped seed into a long, shallow row in front of her irises.  I helped prepare the area,  with her guidance, and she would often have something to eat in the kitchen when we were finished.  Sometimes, I'd fun to Sonic for tenderloin sandwiches - a favorite for her and Jewel. What memories return each year with the flowers. Painting number 4934 in 4934 days. 

Old Fashioned Peonies

 

I wait all year for the chance to paint the peonies of my garden.  This season seems extra short to get these beauties painted, with multiple storms abs heavy rain to weigh them down.  These are the original variety that my grandmother planted, abs I've moved it to multiple beds around the yard, and it never disappoints!  The bees were buzzing and the big black ants were climbing, and the smell was heavenly indeed!  Painting number 4891 in 4891 days. 

Grandmother's Peonies

 

Oh how I love painting Grandmother's peonies - and their fragrance is heavenly!!  I've moved them to multiple locations around the yard, and each bloom reminds me of Grandma Frank.  I remember cutting them with Grandma to bring into the house, and the bouquet would scent the whole room.  Casper asked to cut one for Michaela for Mother's Day, and he and Kirby both presented a lovely big bloom for her!  Maybe they'll remember me when they see these blooms each year.  Painting number 4880 in 4880 days. 

Pink Rembrandt Tulip

 

As the tulips begin to open, I simply must paint them!  I am thankful for each one after the 10 degree weather of two weeks ago froze so many of my spring blooms just as they were hitting full bloom.  These first tulips are short, but very fragrant and beautiful!  Now, if I can just protect them from the expected storms!  Painting number 4837 in 4837 days. 

Pink Tulips

 

What is sweeter than the fragrance of potted tulips in the house?  I brought these home from Family Tree Nursery and had to do a quick painting before they fade!  I have a fondness for pink tulips, and brought some home last year, too.  After they fade and die back, I put the pot outside to plant the bulbs in the garden.  When I went to plant last year's bulbs, the three had multiplied to 9 - just like magic!  They are in my front bed waiting for their signal to emerge!  I'll plant these out there, too, when they fade.  Painting number 4799 in 4799 days. 

Pink Tulips

 It was lovely to paint at Family Tree Nursery with family and artist friends this morning!  Mom, Michaela and Kirby joined me - making 4 generations here, today!  Kirby picked out a new jade plant with a little bunny to hang off the pot, and we all enjoyed hot drinks.  The fragrance of the tulips was irresistible, and i bright them home along with lemon balm and two stevia plants.  And a few more seed packets, lol.  It's so nice to be welcomed into this beautiful, tropical place in February, even if it was 73 degrees today!  Painting number 4787 in 4787 days. 

Orchids!

 

I love sketching the delicate beauty of orchids, as their blooms dangle on the stem.  These are an annual showstopper, seemingly blooming for months!  This has been a day of new beginnings with the addition of our new horse, Lady Belle, and two half grown kittens.  Rescued from the side of the road, a yellow tabby and sweet spotted calico have found their way to us - thanks to my dear painting friend, Teddy Jackson.  We spent the day outside with family and the animals, still working on Lady Belle's lodging.  I will soon be painting these little sweethearts, too!  Painting number 4758 in 4758 days. 

Pink Tulips

 

I LOVE squeezing in a quick painting of my pink tulips on this very busy day!  I wish they would last for months instead of days, but our strong winds are tossing them about!  I plant these fragrant beauties each year, but they don't multiply like my daffodils do.  In fact, they seem to sink into the ground and simply cease to flower after a couple of years.  I'm going to enjoy them while I can, and immortalize them in my paintings, because too soon they will fade away.  Painting number 5153 in 5153 days. 

Rio Dragonfly

What fun to get in a quick painting in the garden before meeting high school friends for dinner!  I hear thunder but there's no rain yet, so I'm busy sketching and dropping in a little color.  The dragonfly in almost hidden - like a where's Waldo game in my painting! Now off to join my friends and catch up on life with each other!  Painting number 5147 in 5147 days. 

Fuchsia Zinnias and Butterfly

It was a gorgeous morning to meet artist friends at the Overland Park Arboretum to paint!  We're enjoying cool August days, and I was actually chilly when I headed out.  Michaela and her little ones joined me for some time in the train garden after this paint.  I am using the new metallic palette (Summer Fun) that I just purchased from Chubby Mermaid on Etsy, and adding shimmers to some of my masses. Wow, how it sparkles in the sun!  I think I'm going to have plenty of summer fun with these jewels.  What a lovely way to start the day! Painting number 5137 in 5137 days. 

Pale Dafs

It sure was a windy day for painting today, and still those daffodils flourish! These came from a group that I ordered many years ago from the kid's fundraiser, and they were called pink daffodils.  They really aren't pink, but they are peachy in the mid-day sun. Wild and windblown, these daffodils are still gorgeous, and one of my latest varieties.  Too soon they will all fade away until next year.  Painting number 5000 in 5000 days!! 

Pink Flamingo Garden

It was super fun to meet artist friends and my youngest daughter with her two little ones at Family Tree Nursery today in Overland Park. This vivid pink slice of color is part of their Barbie Garden, ready for this weekend's open house!  I couldn't possibly resist painting it as Casper looked on adoringly at the smallest pink flamingo.  Painting number 4977 in 4977 days! 

 

Pink Geranium

I bring flowers indoors each autumn when the killing frosts arrive, and this lovely geranium is among them.  I sketched the lines with ink, then started laying in watercolor. While still a bit wet, I went back in with companion colors of ink loaded into fountain pens.  It sure feels like spring when I'm painting flowers in bloom! Painting 4045 in 4045 days!  💖🎨🌸

Cashmere Rose

Cashmere Rose is behind the second door in my Diamine Inkvent Calendar - and it is a lovely rosy pink!  It is so much fun to reveal a new ink every day!  I'm using a few sketch lines to begin this year, where before I have only used the ink in a direct watercolor way.  I'm exploring how this ink works in a sketch, though I'm only using line work sparingly for now.  I can't wait to see what's behind door number 3! Painting number 3980 in 3980 days. 

Tulip Tree Blooms

This tulip tree was a Mother's day gift years ago - and I LOVE painting it each spring as it grows and bursts with blooms!  I started with an ink sketch with an extra fine nib - rare for me, but I'm learning to add it to the mix.  More often than not, I am using a medium or even a broad nib, for my ink work.  Next, I added watercolor to the masses.  I realized today that I haven't used my gouache set in a while, so I even added a little gouache for extra chroma.  It is relatively new to me, and I had forgotten about it for months.  Well, it is now back in rotation for the spring!  Painting number 3751 in 3751 days. 

Pink Rembrandt Tulip

Oh, how I love painting these Rembrandt tulips - especially on such a gorgeous spring day!  I started this day watching an amazing sunrise, followed by a morning with grandbabies, a birthday lunch with artist friends, plenty of framing and bagging, and some time with grandsons before I ever found a moment to paint.  Soon followed a glorious sunset, which I took a few moments to enjoy before I got back to work.  It was such a busy day, but above all I have so very much to be thankful for.  Painting number 3749 in 3749 days. 

Celebration Amaryllis

 

Love this "Celebration" ink for it's WOW factor!  Another ink from the Diamine Inkvent Calendar 2022 - this vibrant ink is a stand out.  Not a color i would normally use in the landscape, it may not graduate to my palette.  But i know where to go when certain flowers call for it!  Gorgeous intensity!  Day 9 #stradaeasel challenge and painting number 3657 in 3657 days. 

Zinnias!

I LOVE painting the volunteer zinnias in my garden, collected from my travels while painting! During the Covid lock down, Mom and I made a regional tour to 5 galleries, delivering artwork and commissions.  We stayed in some amazing places, with gorgeous gardens, and I couldn't help but collect seed where it had dropped on public streets.  Some of these were giant zinnias, the largest, fullest, I had seen, in pink, red and purple.  I save seed from year to year, but didn't get around to planting the zinnias this spring.  I have several big, beautiful plants that sprung up on their own from last year's blooms.  They even came up where I would have planted them!  So, tonight I am painting the pink ones as they start their first blush, even after many days in the 100s, and little rain!  I can't wait to paint them in their full glory next month!  Painting number 4289 in 4289 days. 

Morning at Defiance Ridge

Arriving early for the live broadcast of Great Day St Louis, on KMOV 4, I was directed to stand in this location for their cameras.  Scouting all I could see from this spot, I knew I must paint the wonderful farmhouse with all those pink umbrellas!  Many were attending the broadcast, enjoying coffee and breakfast delights.  As the broadcast started, Lynn shared the details of Augusta Plein Air Art Festival, and the cameras caught the live painting process. It is fun to see a painting develop during that short time.  As a Facebook Live interview started after the TV broadcast, this painting sold off the easel, and they discussed just how to do that in the field.  I loved painting here this morning, and so happy this painting will hang in the owner's lake house!  Painting number 3397 in 3397 days. 

Pink Hyacinth

I adore the fragrance of hyacinth, and the sweet scent of this forced bulb wafts through the whole downstairs.  This bulb is very thirsty, I am adding water every day as I see new blooms starting to rise.  When this lovely is past her glory, I will plant her in the garden to continue for all the years to come.  I love the very timeless nature of these bulbs.  With ink and watercolor I capture first bloom in our farmhouse on handmade cotton paper.  It's a small ATC size to match my very small painting window tonight.  Some days are so busy I can't find my way to my easel until almost bedtime. I'm hoping for an easier day tomorrow.  Painting number 3344 in 3344 days.