Dancing in the Fountain

 

After a busy weekend of painting in Marceline and watching grandsons, I didn't decide until the last minute to join watercolor friends for our weekly plein air day.  The Kauffman Garden was absolutely stunning today!  And to think that I almost stayed home to catch up on chores!  This is sweet reward for putting everything else on hold.  I actually pulled out several of my rarely used fancy inks to use for final punch - in matching fountain pens, no less.  Lesson of the day?  Don't put off until tomorrow what can be painted today!  Painting number 4619 in 4619 days. 

November Hollyhocks

What a lovely, warm day to spend at the Kauffman Garden with artist friends and Tiffany! I couldn't believe when I found hollyhocks blooming so late in the year - so of course, I had to paint them!  This was a quick paint because I only had 20 minutes before leaving, so I sketched fast and dropped in color. I need to vary the blooms a bit to give them a freer form, and maybe I'll do that before putting it away.  I do love hollyhocks and plan to plant a few seeds from this one next year!  Painting number 5188 in 5188 days. 

Kauffman Garden Cleome

 For Daily Paintworks, I am trying to post a closer image for their viewers.  So often, I only get a photo in the field, without thought of getting a better shot until I am submitting it for a gallery show.  Let me know if you like this idea.  Today, the Monday morning watercolorists were at Kauffman Garden, and the cleome are still gorgeous - in mid November!  I still have hanging baskets on the porch and we were in the 60s again today.  It is a pleasure to still be painting outdoors so comfortably!  I didn't even need a jacket today!  I'm happy Tiffany was able to join us today, too!  Painting number 5185 in 5185 days. 

Summer at Kauffman Garden

It is delightful to paint the summer blooms as the fountains bubble around me!!  Meeting artist friends here this morning, I arrived a little later than intended.  Loading 7 large paintings in the car for delivery to PGAV Architects, took a little longer than anticipated.  I'm working large today, because I am ever in need of Kansas City paintings for gallery spaces.  This one will frame at 20x16.  I don't think I've painted here this time of year before, not this selection of blooms.  Nor have I painted from this direction, catching the architecture in the background.  I like the soft garden edges against the hard lines of the buildings, grounds the painting.  Though hot, there was a lovely breeze and I tucked myself into a shady spot, painting until I finished.  The girls had gone on to lunch, but it feels good to have one ready to frame, and now it's off to my art drop-off next!  Painting number 4293 in 4293 days.