Pansy Joy

It seems that when I'm worn out - I abandon the direct watercolor challenge, and when I'm fresh and rested, I pick up the challis again.  In a more playful and contemporary way, I am painting these cheerful pansies who continue to flourish despite the heat!  Simply painting with my brush, wet on wet, my quick impressions of these lovelies!  Now we're off to welcome Michaela, Cooper and baby Casper home from the hospital!  Happy days ahead!  Painting number 2711 in 2711 days.

Hollyhocks!

Barely got this finished when my daughter called to say she was in labor!  We have a new little grandson!!  Painting number 2709 in 2709 days!

Home

I am forging ahead with this direct watercolor challenge of 30 paintings in 30 days.  A painting a day is a breeze, but it is considerably harder when I also have gallery work to finish and commissions in process!  I am trying a architecture today, and thought I'd really miss my pen. I marked a few lines with my brush and it made all the difference.  All this month I have started by laying in the masses in watercolor - and it has been a struggle!  Perhaps this is the way I can actually start enjoying direct watercolor!  Day 9 of 30, and painting number 2708 in 2708 days. 

Orange Sunpatiens!

I had these fabulous sunpatiens for the first time last year, and wow!   They grow more beautiful and lush right up until the fall!   Adding so much impact to the garden, they are a great choice for late season drama, when other flowers are fading.  So, when I found them at Suburban Lawn and Garden (while Mothers Day shopping), I snapped them up!  Forging ahead with this 30 day direct watercolor challenge, this is Day 8. Where I am loose and free when inking first, I am much more careful when direct painting, using more drawing skills with that brush.  I feel like I'm learning a few things, and just today I am a little optimistic about the process.  Every painting truly is a lesson!  Painting number 2707 in 2707 days.

Light through the Trees

This evening finds me capturing that magic hour light as it streams through the trees.  Not wanting to venture along the path without my bug repellant lotion on, I choose the west lawn just past where we hosted Michaela's baby shower today.  With most of the party clean up finished, I can settle into my paints for a little art therapy.  Love that quiet time in the countryside!  Painting number 2706 in 2706 days, and day 7 of 30 in the direct watercolor challenge.

Red Orange Lilies

These red orange lilies that mom and I brought back to Missouri in the dead of winter, have really taken off in my front garden!  This bunch is glorious while I await the bloom of several others.  This day has been very full of baby shower preparations, so I've sneaked in a tiny sanity break with my watercolor half pans to rejuvenate.  Now it's back to work for me!!  Painting number 2705 in 2705 days.

Woodland Path

As the golden hour approaches, the landscape begins to call my name.  During this covid time, I've grown accustomed to taking Beau for a walk or run during this time, keeping one eye on the landscape.  I stop when I must, and Beau runs wide circles around me until I'm ready to hit the trail again.  We had a very large tree come down in last night's storm, and it crosses the path on the northern border, so we turned around and headed back home!  That tree was one of the oldest hackberries on the place.  I did use the direct watercolor method again, but I'm trying not to think, and just paint the scene before me. The "rules" have been interfering with my flow, so I'm trying to allow the painting to unfold organically, without my ink in tow.  We'll see what happens in the next 25 days.  Painting number 2704 in 2704 days.

Mom's Orange Lilies

A friend of mine posted this 30 day direct watercolor painting challenge a couple of days ago.  I know nothing about this technique except that there is no sketching first.  So, without my beloved ink, I begin this 30 day adventure to see what rewards I can glean from this practice.  Most days I will be painting a normal painting and a challenge one, but probably only posting one here. I am seriously thinking of embellishing this with my normal ink work.  In fact, I may be uploading a revised version real soon!  Lol!  You know I can't resist a challenge, even when I don't know what it is!  Painting number 2701 in 2701 days.