Sunflower Song

It was a beautiful evening for painting sunflowers at the Overland Park Arboretum.  These Maximilian sunflowers have been planted in dedication to a member who has enriched the arboretum through the years, and they are putting on a show!  It was a wild and crazy tangle of flowers to try to make sense of, but I gave it my best - and it was fun, too!  I am honored to be among the top 4 with this painting.  This painting is 4996 in 4996 days, and now showing at the Long House gallery on site.  

Twilight in the Garden

 

The flowers are really stunning along the path to the LongHouse! It was a pleasure to paint them at twilight, when the garden was still.  My daughters painted nearby, and we visited as we finished up.  Mom waited for us in the LongHouse, and we turned our next paintings in and joined the reception.  Come see this in person until November 1. Painting number 4625 in 4625 days. 

Butterflies in the Garden

 

The gardens at the Overland Park Arboretum are full of butterflies - and it was a joy to paint them for their very first plein air event!  A wedding reception was taking place in the background, and the music wafted up from the terrace as I worked. The temperature was perfect and only gentle breezes stirred the air. Both of my daughters participated, and Mom walked the garden, finding benches in the shade to rest.  Their paintings are beautiful, and all will be on display until November 1st at the Long House.  What a lovely way to spend an afternoon!  Painting number 4624 in 4624 days. 

Baby Goats!

 

How could I possibly resist painting these adorable baby goats?!!  The Deanna Rose Farmstead is a wonderful place to take family to see many farm animals.  From chickens to cattle in the dairy barn to fishing in their pond, this place is so very paintable.  I've been painting here for years, but this is the first time I've focused on the baby goats!  They are easily sketched from outside their corral, and so fun to watch as they interact with each other and all the children walking in with tiny bottles!  Painting number 4531 in 4531 days. 

Downtown Magic

Hooray for the rain holding off for tonight's quick paint in downtown Overland Park! It was raining lightly when I drove up, and I was prepared with my oils and my raincoat.  I spent way too much time cleaning my palette this afternoon, and the reward was the fresh paints to dip into!  As I packed up my car to head home, the rain began to fall lightly.  Perfect timing!  I love painting this iconic street from my childhood.  Painting number in days. 

 

Georgia's Hen House

After visiting some favorite places inside the Deanna Rose Farm with Michaela and the boys, I settled on a bench swing to sketch the chickens. With ink and watercolor I painted their shapes, and their sweet sounds accompanied the happy families coming to visit.  The best chicken sounds actually came from a couple of boys - I had to look over to make sure the chickens hadn't gotten out!  Painting number in days. 

Flower Benches

It was super fun to gather with artist friends to paint and shop at Suburban Lawn and Garden this morning!  The three tiers of blooming plants instantly grabbed my attention, so I set up on the spot to paint in this newish leather bound art journal.  The cotton paper is very soft and thin, but I am finding a way to make it work.  I sketched this one first with a Pitt pen, then started washing in the watercolor layers, working a little drier than I normally would for increased pigment strength.  I popped in with more ink and then more paint until I reached the effect I was looking for.  It's fun to explore my mediums in this way - I learn something from every painting!  Painting number 5081 in 5081 days. 

Cyclamen

 

It was super fun to sketch inside the balmy greenhouse today with artist friends and Tiffany!  The Arctic blast is moving through and at 11 degrees, this was a lovely place to sketch!  This gorgeous cyclamen grabbed my attention, so I set it on my table with 5 seed packets to bring home, and a hot tea - and got to work!  I've been working on my sketchbooks lately, getting them organized for future Travel Journal  Workshops. For this one, I'm bringing out bolder colors and fun lettering.  Every page is an exploration and i can't wait to see where it takes me. Thank you, Family Tree Nursery for welcoming us today!  Painting number 5074 in 5074 days. 

Ferris Wheel at Scheels

 

It was fun to meet inside to sketch the Ferris wheel on this very cold day with artist friends and Mom!  Lunch afterwards at their Cafe was icing on the cake.  Scheels is a great place to shop, with painting subjects ranging from architecture to the grand aquarium and taxidermy.  I brought a sketchbook today, wanting to immerse myself a little deeper in my methods.  Many subjects would have been far easier than this Ferris wheel, but when I think of Scheels, this is what comes to mind.  I've left the upper left corner a little dreamy because I plan to write about my day in that area.  I find it best to sketch on scene and fill in the words later - when I'm not so distracted by family and friends.  I can paint all day while talking to others, but it takes solitude to pull together the right words that really 'paint' my experience.  Painting number 5068 in 5068 days. 

Longhouse at the Arboretum

 It's so fun to sketch at the Overland Park Arboretum with artist friends and my daughter, too!  This grand new entrance with it's long reflection pools spilling one into another, is beautiful.  I am using a long, thin cotton paper for this sketch, and it buckles a little when wet. As with all handmade papers, each one is different, and part of the process is learning it's attributes, and focusing on what works rather than what doesn't. Once, I set the more challenging papers aside, now I embrace those differences, and am driven to make the most of them.  It's a bit like life, isn't it?  Painting number 5173 in 5173 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. 

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. 

Beyond the Garden 2024

 

I am so honored this painting of the Overland Park Arboretum was commissioned by the City of Overland Park.  This painting will be carried to Germany and given as a gift to their Sister City, Bietigheim-Bissingen, where it will hang.  The arboretum is a crowning jewel in Overland Park, and the recent addition of the Long Building (on the hill) made this painting the perfect gift.  I'm so happy they reached out to me while I was traveling in Marblehead,Ohio.  I was strolling the bank of Lake Erie when I got the call.  What a lovely honor this is!  Painting number 5132 in 5132 days. 

Downtown Overland Park

 

It's so much fun to paint my favorite street in historic downtown Overland Park with artist friends!  Tonight was the Magic Hour paint out for the Stems Plein-Air, benefitting the Overland and Arboretum. This is a lively place with walkers and families strolling by to visit and enjoy the downtown district.  I only wish I had more time here to paint in my old stomping grounds!  Painting number 5054 in 5054 days. 

Coffee House Garden

I loved finding this new "coffee house" garden to paint at Family Tree Nursery!  It was so fun to meet artist friends here to paint, and lovely to have Michaela and the little ones here to visit and pick out new plants!  It is always wonderful to return to my old stomping grounds for sketch time.  Painting number 4978 in 4978 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! 

 

Overland Park Clock Tower

I love meeting artist friends in my hometown to paint the historic area.  This clock tower is an icon of downtown Overland Park, and this time in painting it from down the street.  My daughter and her family came to Thompson Park for some play time on this gorgeous day, so I painted from the edge of the park while waiting for her to arrive.  It's so fun to sketch down memory lane!  Painting number 4068 in 4068 days.  It looks like some of my postings have not actually posted - I guess I'll have to go back and fill in when I've got plenty of extra time.  Silly technology. 

Overland Park Water Tower

What a fabulous and warm February day for painting!  With record breaking temps in the upper 70s, it was sheer joy to paint slices of my childhood today. This is my old stomping grounds, and I have a fondness for this historic water tower, while so many new apartments pop up around it.  Michaela and her family met me at Thompsons Park, where the little ones had a blast playing at the playground.  What a lovely way to spend the day!  Painting number 4064 in 4064 days. 

Poinsettias!

Joy Tree