Garden Walk

Garden Walk
Oil on panel, 24x26
Deanna Rose Farmstead

A couple of years ago, I had painted a study for this painting at one of the early morning quick paints at the Deanna Rose Farmstead - part of the Stems Event.  I have a fabulous frame I want to use in my living room, and this was my chosen subject for it.  I am working large today - 24x26, so it seems like it took me quite a while to get the panel covered!  I think I still need to add in a little palette knife detail, but since I am leaving shortly for Michael's baseball game, I thought I had better take this photo in the good light of day, instead of fighting the artificial lighting of night later!  I may just frame it up and hang it for a few days, letting it rest.  The colors are a little brighter than my normal oil landscapes - probably due to my recent watercolor craziness - so this will allow me to judge in a few days whether changes are needed.  This painting makes 546 in 546 days - I just can't wait to see how in looks in my new frame!!

Juicy Geraniums

Juicy Geraniums
Watercolor on paper, 6x4

After spending the entire day cleaning, organizing, putting things in the attic, and getting my art supplies in order - I have come late to my easel!  At first so tired, I had no idea what to paint.  As I relaxed just a bit - "geraniums" - popped into my mind!  Without sketching or planning the composition out, I started dropping on the drawing gum with one of my newly found palette knives.  Painting in the background, then some of the red, I next removed the gum - a wee bit early - which resulted in a little transfer of color onto my white areas.  I just worked that color in, and painted the rest rather quickly - and a bit boldly.  I am getting an early start on my Fourth of July colors!  I just found a perfect frame for this little painting, and I have the perfect spot in the family room for it - so I guess I will be keeping this one!  This painting makes 545 in 545 days - and another day of experimenting in watercolor :)

Meadow Flowers

Meadow Flowers
Watercolor on paper, 7x10.5

This morning was cool and very cloudy - the perfect day to get back to cleaning my flower beds!  Expecting rain, I worked quickly - and didn't get rained out for 5 hours!  Now inside, waiting for the rain to stop so I may return to my work, I am doing a little watercolor painting.  The pastures have not been cut yet, and there is the most wonderful assortment of grasses and lazy susans.  This is my landscape choice of the day, although my first purple garden phlox just started blooming!  After applying the Pebeo drawing gum (which I am quickly going through this first bottle), allowing it to dry, I washed on some background color.  When that was also dry, I rubbed off the gum, revealing the white of the paper beneath it.  I started laying in the colors, flowers first.  I wanted their color to be rather true to life.  The other grasses - I pushed them any way I felt like, dropping in happy colors that simply popped next to the colors already painted in the first layer.  It is so freeing to not be restricted by life, I know.....it sounds crazy.  But as a born perfectionist, it is a very unnatural thing for me to do.  It is almost like I have this other self, one who wants to paint with reckless abandon and wild colors, and who cares not if people think I have lost my mind!  Well, back to the real world of cleaning and gardening and preparing for company, and this is painting number 544 in 544 days.  Maybe I'll go crazy again tomorrow!

Blue Hydrangeas

Blue Hydrangeas
Watercolor on paper, 10.5x7

I have come to my easel late in this day - and thank goodness I had already underpainted this on another day!  After two challenging workouts this morning, and a house full of family for the rest of the day - I would have been hard pressed to find something inspiring to paint.  Oh, the busy days of summer!  I absolutely love hydrangeas - and they have started blooming all over town.  The deep blue of their petals is almost unnatural - and so fun to capture in paint!  This is my first attempt of these beauties in watercolor - and though I think I need some practice - I like the effect.  Painting number 543 in as many days - now time for some relaxation :)

Old Raymore Barn

Old Raymore Barn
Oil on panel, 10x8
Tri County Raymore Paint-Out

This beautiful old barn instantly grabbed my attention when I arrived at the Raymore Memorial Park.  True to my habit,  I walked the whole trail around the park - just to make sure there wasn't another amazing view.  I did see one other possible painting of the winding trail and fancy light post surrounded by a pink rosebush.  The oils felt so buttery under my brushes!  I feel like the recent experiments in watercolor have made me look at my oil colors more carefully.  I constantly added more color to my normal "go to" colors,  pushing them a little more.  This was a paint out at the Raymore Memorial Park with the Tri-County Art League, and it is always fun to paint with fellow artists.   This painting makes 542 in as many days, and what a gorgeous summer morning to be out painting!  Now it is time to watch Michael pitch at his baseball game tonight :)

Hummingbird in the Trumpet Vine

Hummingbird in the Trumpet Vine
Acrylic & molding paste on panel, 10x8

After two week of watercolor painting, today, I am mixing it up a little with acrylics and molding paste! I have only done a handful of these textural paintings, and three of those have sold!  With this one, I am trying to learn the different palette knives and how they can maneuver the light molding paste.  Each stroke is a lesson - some succeed and some fail, and those I resculpt into the shape I want with the knife.  It is challenging, especially when the petals have very distinct shapes!  Each time I switch mediums, it takes me extra time to get my head back into the right place to work whatever medium I have at hand.  When I do the same thing each day, I simply jump right in without thought.  But today, I had to gather the right paints, palette and brushes - checking to make sure I did indeed have all the matching stuff!  These trumpet vines have burst open in the last few days - right outside the bay window in the kitchen - and how the hummingbirds love them!  This painting makes 541 in 541 days.  I will be plein air painting in the morning in Raymore - I wonder which medium I will choose tomorrow?

Butterflies in the Yarrow

Butterflies in the Yarrow
Watercolor on paper, 7x10.5

The purple yarrow in the front flower bed is bursting with blooms today!  Unable to resist the beauty - I am trying this in watercolor.  I'm not quite sure how I feel about this one.  I like the flow and the colors, but I am missing the texture of the thick, buttery oils today - or maybe even the molding paste and acrylics.  I have been working in watercolor for two complete weeks, and perhaps it is time to start mixing it up a bit.  This day was very busy - Tuesdays and Fridays are the hardest workout days at the gym, and I followed that with three hours of pool/garden work outside.  Then, I finally found a painting window (instead of eating) before I need to head out to Michael's baseball game.  I guess I could just be tired - it will be a welcome relief to sit in a chair and watch Michael play ball for two hours!  I'll look at this again tomorrow, and try to paint a little earlier in the day!  Painting number 540 in 540 days :)

Monarch in the Coneflowers

Monarch in the Coneflowers
Watercolor on paper, 12x9

I have tried Arches 300 lb cold pressed paper for my surface today.  It has more texture than the previous papers, and the drawing gum rubbed off without too much effort.  I wish I could have achieved a more "dreamy" feel to the background here.  I tried to wash in colors and blur as I blended, but I think I should have been a little more abstract.  It would be more effective to wash in loose masses of color.  I will have to work on that!  Maybe my paper was not wet enough -  I did brush water over it, but this heavier paper may absorb it more quickly.  This painting makes 539 in 539 days - now, out for more yard work before the sun goes down!

Rose Arbor in the Garden

Rose Arbor in the Garden
Watercolor on paper, 10.5x7

Today finds me with a limited painting window, so I am applying color to one of the paintings that I had underpainted a couple of days ago.  I am playing with the medium, dropping color to wet areas, letting it spread, and I have brushed out a few areas to blend and blot up paint with a stiff bristle brush.  I am using a limited palette, and I wonder what the untried colors would add....but I don't have time to explore them!  I am wanting to paint my newly opening daylilies - and some fairies, but alas, I don't have the time for that today.  It is very hard sometimes to be a responsible adult when I just want to play in the paints all day!!  Painting number 538 in as many days - now its time to work on the pool!

French Lilac

after drawing gum removed

 As I manned the Tri-County Art League booth at Arts in the Park in Raymore this morning, I applied Pebeo drawing gum to three different paintings.  I used the plastic palette knives again, visiting and explaining the technique as people came to see what I was up to.  I have always preferred to paint from life - or at least have some kind of photo reference, but with these watercolors, I am just pulling this stuff out of my head.  Memory serves me well on all things floral - as I am an avid gardener with a lifetime of "hands on" experience in my own yard.  There is a long row of these        

French Lilac
Watercolor on paper, 10.5x7

beautiful french lilacs on the road leading to town.  Each year, they burst forth with their truly unique red-pink-purple blooms.  On this painting, I intended to leave more of the whites - to add sparkle, but I found that I just filled more in with color than I meant to.  I have a short, stubby bristle brush that is basically unusable for any paint application - and this was the perfect tool to rub out petal with a little water on the brush, and a paper towel to blot up the color.  Those are the almost ghost like petals.  You must be careful with this - lest you damage the paper by scrubbing too aggressively.  I wanted this painting to have a softer, more atmospheric quality - despite the bold use of color.  I told my daughter that I think I went overboard on this one - and she disagrees!  Oh well, another to look upon tomorrow with fresh eyes - and perhaps it will grow on me.  Painting number 537 in 537 days.

Dandelion Dance

Dandelion Dance
Watercolor on paper, 7x10.5

Dandelions are a wonderful subject for this technique in watercolor!  Using the Pebeo Drawing Gum and my thinnest plastic palette knife, I marked off all areas that I wanted to remain lighter than the background painting.  Once I had haphazardly dropped in the colors on the dampened paper, I started brushing on a bit more of the grasses - getting stronger, drier pigment for the closer weeds.  I have various watercolor papers, which I know nothing about - so I am trying them and marking the backs to see which I prefer.  This was a Canson 140 lb paper, and what I like most about this paper is that the Pebeo comes right off when the watercolors are dry.  I would guess it is because of the sizing on the paper.  I have another unknown make of paper - and it was quite hard to rub off the drawing gum.  I do like how fast the watercolor is to work when compared to the oils.  I know there are some cool effects that can be achieved by adding salt, and something about crinkling up plastic wrap and putting it on top of wet paint, and laying a book over it until it dries.  This is just some of the random info that has seeped into my brain over the years - even though I wasn't using the medium.  I think it would be very fun to paint something whimsical - like fairies in this style!  I can just see a fairy hovering above one of these dandelions!  This painting makes 536 in 536 days :)

Roses Over the Fence

Roses Over the Fence
Watercolor on paper, 6x4

As I explore these watercolors on paper, I find I have way more questions than answers.  Perhaps, I really should do a little study in this new medium - instead of going all willy-nilly with brushes in hand!  When painting in oils, I am working towards a much more realistic coloring of the landscape.  When in watercolor, I don't feel at all constricted to my "realism box".  Why is this?  I also find I am pushing my colors in a more vivid direction.  I have many colors I have not even tried yet - I may have some real favorites out there that I haven't even squeezed out of the tube!  This is painting number 535 in 535 days :)

Daisies and Clover

Daisies and Clover
Watercolor on paper, 7x10.5

The grass is high in the pastures and sprinkled with wildflowers!  It is the perfect time for getting some wonderful wildflower paintings in - before the hay is cut!  For this painting, I applied the drawing gum with a heavier hand - which increased the time it took me to remove it after the background painting.  I am using transparent watercolors, although I have a good selection of both.  Why?  I honestly don't know, except that I like the way the colors work together and next to each other.  With my very small watercolor experience, I am just exploring my way through the methods by trial and error.  This is very unusual for me - because I am one to read all I can about a subject before jumping in!  This was is SO much more exciting!  I am constantly surprised at how the paintings progress!  And the colors I am leaning toward - they are so wacky for me!  Why do I do this?  Again, I don't know, I just feel like it pushing colors next to one another that will vibrate with energy.......even if I don't see it in front of me.  I know, its crazy!  What fun it is to just let my imagination run wild!  This painting makes 534 in 534 days - now, on to more experiments!!!

Vibrant Queen Anne's Lace

Vibrant Queen Anne's Lace
Watercolor on paper, 7x10.5

Hooray!  My Pebeo drawing gum finally came in!  This time, I used a couple of plastic palette knives to apply the gum - and I could make the lines super skinny!  It takes about 15 minutes for this liquid drawing gum to dry, so I painted three at once.  By the time I was done with the last, the first was dry enough to wash in the watercolors.  I then moved on to the other two, finishing the background painting.  The first painting was then dry - the watercolors must be dry before rubbing off the Pebeo.  I got a little rubber cement remover to make this process easier, and it worked great!  It was also faster this time to remove, probably because I knew what to expect, and how much pressure to apply.  I then added more colors to the newly rubbed areas......and I think I may have gotten carried away!  These colors are pretty wild and vibrant - not at all my normal palette!!  Hmmmm, well, I can always tone the others down tomorrow!  It is so fun to play with the colors and design with the drawing gum - I have so many ideas that I want to try!  This crazy painting makes 533 in 533 days :)

Green Street Hydrangea

This is the second painting started on Green Street during the Lee's Summit Garden Walk.  I had already completed two others on Saturday, and this one was sketched in, petals, foliage and stems applied with a knife and Liquitex light molding paste.  I keep a small jar in my french easel, so I can use this technique whenever the mood strikes me.  The Garden Walk was a collection of gardens scattered along three streets, all close enough to casually walk from one to the other.  This particular painting is of the left edge of a giant hydrangea that must have spread 10 feet across!  This is a close up of the same hydrangea that I painted two days ago - so if you look back, you can see what little part this was of the beautiful landscape.  My intention was to finish both on sight, but I was invited out to dinner before I was finished - and the chance for a relaxing meal that I didn't have to cook won!  This is still a bit loose, and I may well look at it tomorrow and decide to add just a few tight petal strokes in among the wild......maybe.  I am hoping my Pebeo drawing gum arrives tomorrow  - I am SO wanting to play some more with the watercolors!  This one makes painting number 532 in 532 days.

Saint John Community Garden

Saint John Community Garden
Oil on panel, 14x11
Scarritt Renaissance Coffee Club Demo

Yesterday morning, I was invited to paint and speak to the Scaritt Renaissance Coffee Club, hosted by Becky Koop at the Saint John Community Garden.  Becky's shop,  Backdoor Pottery, adjoins this property.  Behind the swinging bench lies the vegetable garden, with beautiful flowers sprinkled throughout.  These wonderful daylilies were not quite to their peak yet, so using my artistic license - I have opened their abundant blooms!  A lovely, but windy morning, we started with a wonderful breakfast.  I spent time talking and answering questions, until I was prompted with, "you have about 20 minutes left to paint" - yikes!  So, I got busy and let the brush do the work - laying in the masses intuitively, without thought.  Within 30 minutes, I had all the important parts in - and the painting was a true representation of how I felt in that spot.  With just a few touch ups, and removing the grass and debris from the surface (due to the strong winds) - this is what remains.  A lovely memory in oil of a morning spent with the gracious members of the Scaritt Renaissance Coffee Club.  This painting makes 531 in 531 days - Happy Father's Day to all!  Now, I am off for a family gathering!

Hydrangeas by the Arbor

Hydrangeas by the Arbor
Oil on panel, 14x11
Lee's Summit Garden Walk - Plein Air

Oh my goodness, what a full day!  I started this morning as the guest speaker and painter with the Scarritt Renaissance Coffee Club in northeast Kansas City, and next headed for the Garden Walk in the historic downtown Lee's Summit district.  This is my third painting today, and such a lovely spot it was!  The giant hydrangea was begging me to paint it - and after scanning the other gardens on the street and visiting with fellow artists - I returned to my favorite.  As is sometimes the case, I had to tuck myself into a cubby hole of shade to get this exact view.  I wanted the abundant blooms spilling over the iron fence, with the path and arbor leading you right into the garden, so there was no other place to set up. The biggest drawback here is that I could not keep stepping back to check on progress as I worked.  I really could only step to the side along the hedge to get a different vantage.  Once finished, I pulled it out of the deep shade to check the hues, and found it was just what I was after.  The weather was beautiful, though a little windy, and the owners were so gracious and welcoming.  I always enjoy visiting with passersby as I work - and what is better than strolling through lush gardens on a perfect June day?  This painting makes 530 in 530 days, and I will post one of the others tomorrow :)

Allium Seedheads

Allium Seedheads
Watercolor on paper, 4x6

Another experiment in watercolor for today.  This has been such a crazy busy day - not even time to breathe on this one!  Once again, I have used the drawing gum with a plastic brush handle to "paint" on the places I wanted to remain white.  I washed over this dry gum with color, looking more at the shapes and the values of the background garden.  I like the loose, crazy flow of this watercolor, how one hue melds into another, creating their own shapes and flower heads in the distance.  I can hardly wait for my supplies to come in - I will have so much fun getting these paintings out of my head and onto the paper!  I am headed out to meet with high school friends for a little celebrating - so I have to make this short!  This painting makes 529 in 529 days - and tomorrow is going to be a full painting day beginning in Independence and ending in Lee's Summit :)

Pink Allium in Watercolor

Pink Allium in Watercolo
Watercolor on paper, 4x6

Here we go on a watercolor adventure!  On Tuesday's workshop, I completed five paintings and this is one of them.  The lighter parts were all masked out using Pebeo drawing gum.  I simply drew the lines with the plastic chisel handle of a brush, dipping it into the Pebeo.  I sure wish I had my own - because I have so many paintings running through my head, but alas, it is on order.  No art supply store in town carries it, but you can find it at Cheap Joe's online.  There are some tricks to this medium, NO shaking the jar, NO mixing with a brush, anything that adds air bubbles into the mix is bad!  If you choose to use a brush to apply, you will probably ruin that brush - hence, the plastic handle to apply.  Once the drawing gum is dry on your handle, you can easily rub it off, just like you can rub it off the paper - only the paper is more difficult to clean.  When the medium is completely dry, I then washed over it with my watercolors, most of which are transparent colors which allow the light of the paper to shine through.  Dropping in additional color with a loaded brush while the surface was still wet, allowed me to get the darkest values that would "move" around at will.  I used one round watercolor brush for this whole painting.  Though it is a full brush, the tip comes down to a tiny point, worthy of the most detailed work.  This painting makes 528 in as many days - and I am now thinking of carrying a travel set of pan watercolors with me in the car - for those spontaneous painting adventures I just can't pass up!  As quick as watercolor is for me to use, I can see some real advantages here!

Through the Stone Arch

Through the Stone Arch
Oil on panel, 6x6
Palette Knife

On this beautiful day, I am playing with my palette knives and color on a landscape from Unity Village.  There are so many wonderful places to paint out there - the cool stone work and architecture is so alluring!  I first scrape on a thin layer of paint for my block-in, then lay down additional, thicker layers with the various knives - just skimming the surface of the layer beneath.  As I start the foliage - I remember that I just broke my favorite knife with the narrow tip!  Shoot!  No other knife will make the same marks for me!  I will have to get to the art store soon to replace it!  It is fun to push around the thick paint, and I am "pushing" the colors here, too - looking for the hues that may not be so quickly seen at first glance.  This painting makes 527 in 527 days.  Now, off to dinner with friends :)

Wildflower Party

Wildflower Party
Watercolor on paper, 7x10.5

Surprise!  Yes, there is actually a watercolor on my blog today!  I am truly on an artistic adventure today at a watercolor workshop given by Barbara Neth.  I have very little watercolor experience, and the medium is a very daunting one for me.  Jumping in with both feet, I simply love a challenge!  Using Pebeo drawing gum and the plastic chisel end of a brush handle, I "painted" the gum in haphazard lines, squiggles and petal shapes. No sketching, no planning, just application with reckless abandon!  Once this dried - which took a while on such a rainy day, I brushed on color with a round watercolor brush.  Getting the water/paint solution right was a constant experiment, especially since I don't use mediums at all with my oils.  The uncontrollability of the watercolors was exciting and scary at the same time!  I could lay down some paint - but with a mind of it's own, it would start moving!  Once the paper was again dry, it was time to rub off the resist.  I was surprised at how much effort this took!  It went on so fast - I may not have used so much had I known I would have to work to get it off!  When off, I then went into some of those white areas with fresh color, trying to leave some white for the highlights.  Who knows if I am done or not - but I sure do like the luminosity of the watercolors on the page.  SUPER fun to experiment like this!  Painting number 526 in as many days :)

Wisteria on the Vine

Wisteria on the Vine
Oil on panel, 10x8

Wisteria is one plant I have never grown.  When the kids were small, I didn't plant it because the seeds are poisonous.  The flowing purple beauty if this vine are beyond compare.  I've been doing so much gardening lately, I find I am planning out where to plant such a lovely specimen.  I would love to grow it as roof to a large open arbor - perhaps near the pool where we could really benefit from some added shade.  The ideas are many, and as an extension of my thoughts today - I am painting what is on my mind.  Loose and impressionistic with my strokes, this painting makes 525 in 525 days.

Peonies in Bloom

Peonies in Bloom
Oil on panel, 10x8

Peonies bloom for such a short time, and these pink ones are almost done.  My white ones came first - and their sweet little heads were popped off by our new puppy the same day they opened!  The red peonies are the last to bloom - so they have not even started yet, and their location is more remote - so I'm hoping they will not draw the attention of our lab!  This has been a very full day of gardening - while the sun shines, some housework - reorganizing, taking the grandkids out for ice cream and the park, and finally home to finish this and post. So, I am posting a little late, but it feels good to have gotten so much done today!  Painting number 524 in 524 days :)

Cloud Play

Cloud Play
Oil on panel, 10x8

With all of the storms moving through lately, we have had the most wonderful cloud formations in the sky!  I think skies are a challenging subject with the subtle color and edge changes.  Since it has been a while since I have attempted one, it made a perfect study for today's painting.  Perhaps I should try to add one each week......the surest way to improve at anything is to work on it on a regular basis.  I have used mainly brush work on this, with some palette knife to finish.  Leaving some of the original orange underpainting creates a little harmony and energy throughout.  This one makes 523 paintings in as many days.  Now back to yard work!

Waters of Wolf Creek

Waters of Wolf Creek
Oil on panel
Overland Park Arboretum, KS

I have really been in "floral mode" lately with so many beautiful blooms around!  So, today, I am seeking a different, more peaceful landscape.  Longing to rest in my comfort zone, I am painting what I love to paint - a winding creek with sun and shadow.  While painting on location for the Stems Plein Air Event, I took many reference photos for upcoming work - and this is one from the West Trail.  What a jewel in the crown of the arboretum this creek is.  And to think, I didn't even know it existed until 3 weeks ago!  This painting is number 522 in 522 days.

Roses of Five Petals

Roses of Five Petals
Oil on panel, 9x12
Five Petals Paint-In
Fourth Fridays in Lee's Summit

It has been such a busy day!  Pilates & Intervals classes, followed by cutting down a painting - only to have to repair a little damage that I inflicted during the process, followed by a baseball game - and a win, and now I am finally able to get to posting.  I painted this interior during Fourth Fridays in Lee's Summit while in the Five Petals Floral Shop.  They graciously allowed me to pull a few items together for a quick still life paint.  This one is rather dark and moody - but that is part of what I liked about the scene.  I first sketched it out in pastels, laying down the darks and lights, and then working towards the middle.  Looking at this today, I wanted to check it with the reference shot.  After looking for it, I realized that I did not take one!  So, I don't really know where to take this from here.  All browns and reds, perhaps I should add in a few cools?  Probably, but I will let it rest for today.  Maybe, I'll look back in a few days and see if I'm led to make any additions.  This painting makes 521 in as many days.

Roses in Pink

Roses in Pink
Oil on panel, 14x11
Overland Park Arboretum

I had sketched this wonderful rose patch out on my panel during the Stems event.  Not having time to add paint before, I pulled this out to fill it in.  I first thought to do it in acrylic with the molding paste, but I was feeling more traditional today.  So, I started mapping it out in oils.....with one of my acrylic brushes!  It was bound to happen, since I keep jumping back and forth between mediums and brushes!  As I was adding some palette knife detail, I broke the head off of my favorite knife!  Some days are just like that.  When I went to frame my pieces to turn into the gallery, 2 of the panels were slightly too large - which means I have to cut them down to make them fit.  One is already done, but the second is in oils, and I am just hoping I can get the job done without messing up the painting!  There were only 4 out of 11 panels that I didn't check the size on, and wouldn't you know - 2 were the ones I wanted to turn in!  Painting number 520 in 520 days....and I hope all things go better tomorrow!

Poppy Parade

Poppy Parade
Acrylic over molding paste, 14x11
sold

This is just another bit of molding paste craziness from the arboretum!  I'm still not sure how I feel about this one, but here it is anyway.  After sketching the amazing poppies of Monet's Garden, I laid down those petals with the side of a long, slim palette knife.  It is fun to finally use some of my knife collection - it seems that I only use two of them, and all the others just sit idly by.  It is like training your hand to do something new - holding the knife differently and pulling the strokes down, or sideways, or turning the whole panel upside down!  The colors are a bit bolder than I normally use, and this is causing me to want to do some more glazing.  Yes, I am enjoying the quick drying time and the easy glazing of color than can be applied immediately of acrylics.  I am using Golden Opens, and I don't think I have added as much of the regular gel medium as last time, so this may be a little tacky for a while.  Oh well, live and learn.......and what better way than by experimenting?  This is painting number 519 in as many days.  Now, off to Michael's baseball game!

Allium and Zinnias

Allium and Zinnias
Acrylic over molding paste on panel, 14x11
Overland Park Arboretum
Stems Plein Air Event - sold

After a morning of awards at school, I headed out Friday to get a couple of paintings in.  I wanted to paint over molding paste again, this time with more careful knife strokes - and adding detail to the background areas which I left flat on the earlier piece.  I am currently using Liquitex light molding paste, where I used Golden last time.  I find the Liquitex has a surface that more readily accepts the overpainting.  I found the Golden brand had a bit of resistance, causing my paint to be lighter when painting over the molded parts.  I had added acrylic paint to the Golden paste to add in the same color as my surface, hoping to improve how the paint adhered afterwards - but it did not.  So, for this technique, Liquitex wins - hard to believe, as I love all of the Golden acrylic products that I have tried, and I use Liquitex very little.  It was so warm, the paste was dry when I was ready to start with the acrylics.  By the time I had finished, I had backed up 30 feet to keep myself out of the sun which kept creeping my way!  I really like painting these florals in this way - I have already done 2 others, and may even try a whole landscape later in the week.  I know, just a little "crazy" in my normal, everyday routine......just to spice things up!  Painting number 518 in as many days - where does the time go?

Bridge Over the Duck Pond

Bridge Over the Duck Pond
Oil on panel, 14x11
Deanna Rose Farmstead Sunrise Paint
Stems Plein Air Event

I can remember taking the children to the Deanna Rose Farm all through the years, and this duck pond has always been a favorite spot.  Every time we have a paint-out here, I find myself going to the original part - which was there for my oldest children.  The trees and gardens have grown mature and so beautiful with time.  The early morning light was illuminating the tops of the trees with a yellow glow - which was reflected in the gentle pond.  Knowing this light would change very quickly - I painted all highlights and strong shadows first.  The ducks and geese kept me company - coming up to the fence, and one duck even flew over to sniff at my art bag on the ground by my easel!  This was a timed event, which I was a little late in starting as I was out taking photos of other wonderful scenes in the early morning light - for later painting reference!  We were allowed in at 7:00, which is 2 hours before the normal time, so this is my one chance a year for that golden morning light!  As a result of my distraction, I felt I needed a little more time to capture all that I wanted to.  So, I went back for an extra 20 minutes afterwards to finish up the scene.  Next time, I will try to stay on track!  This painting makes 517 in as many days.  Now, back to work in my gardens before it gets dark :)