Today's Cart!

 

Who shops and sketches in an open greenhouse on a 100 degree day?  Me!  Just getting home from Augusta last night, I wasn't sure I'd meet the Monday Morning Watercolorists at Suburban Lawn and Garden this morning.  With the car only half unpacked, I decided not to miss the opportunity!  I was rewarded with more lovely flowers to come home with me, and sketched my shopping cart, too!  Coming home today - large periwinkle basket, rosemary topiary, globe amaranth, young stevia plants and a large begonia for the front porch. I just can't resist a beautiful bloom!  Painting number 4955 in 4955 days. 

Yellow Blotch Pansies

I had so much fun painting these pansies at Suburban Lawn and Garden that I brought them home to my own garden to enjoy.  I'm so happy to have gotten all 18 in the ground before the 2 inch rain.  Six of those are a purple and white large variety, and I can hardly wait to paint them!  Many daffodils popped open today, and I'll need to paint them, too, while they are opening up.  So many flowers, it must be spring already!  Painting number 4817 in 4817 days. 

Bougainvillea

 

Thank you Suburban Lawn and Garden for sharing your gorgeous greenhouse with a few artists today!!  It was a glorious space to paint!  If I already had the garden room I long for, this beauty would now grace a corner, ever at the ready for a quick paint.  I had no idea the bougainvillea of hanging baskets could be trained into such a showstopper - and I will tuck this in the back of my mind for the day I can begin training my own.  Painting number 4815 in 4815 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. 

Joy Tree

Suburban Christmas

 

Here is one more holiday painting from Suburban Lawn and Garden to celebrate the season. I love how welcoming this local nursery is to artists, greeting us with snacks and pizza for lunch!  With all the lovely Christmas decor, it was hard to focus on just one subject!  We've had a wonderful day with family, followed by a game of Spades, and now it is time for this artist to rest and recharge.  Painting number 4136 in 4136 days. 

Snowman Tree

 

I LOVE painting the Christmas magic at Suburban Lawn and Garden - almost as much as shopping here!  With such a lovely collection of Christmas items and tropicals - I always take home goodies after painting!  This place is so welcoming - providing the artists with drinks, snacks and lunch - and so many lovely things to paint!  I settled first on this Snowman themed tree, sketching in ink, then filling in with watercolor.  I have a few fountain pens with me loaded with colored ink, but only used them a little at the finish.  This paper really grabbed the color, too.  Each handmade paper is different, and in love exploring them all!  Painting number 4113 in 4113 days. 

Suburban Orchids

 I can't resist painting beautiful orchids - and I love growing them, too!  Their blooms are so delicate on wandering stems, the forms are wonderful to paint. I sketched these beauties out first with ink, then came back in with watercolor. Suburban Lawn and Garden is a great place to meet artist friends and paint.  They are so welcoming, and have snacks and drinks for us, too!  It's so nice to spend time painting before shopping for new plants to take home!  Painting number 3298 in 3298 days. 

Grafted Cacti

The best part of this artist life is getting to paint a different place every day!  The Monday Morning Watercolorists met at Suburban Lawn and Garden this week, where we painted for two hours, then shared our work before shopping the nursery!  After painting the vibrant colors of these Moon Cacti, I chose three to bring home to fill a small terrarium that looks like a conservatory.  This place is so welcoming, offering us veggies, dip and cookies while we painted!  What a lovely break from another very busy day!  Painting number 3297 in 3297 days. 

Mums!

I got these fabulous chrysanthemums from Suburban Lawn and Garden nearly a month ago - and they are still spectacular!  The very large flowers are bold and bright - lighting up my kitchen table!  I'm painting in miniature tonight, because once again I have worked myself into the late hours.  I had just boxed my last commission up when I sold another painting and got another commission!  I hadn't even made it to the UPS store - lol!  It's a good problem to have and I do like to keep on top of things.  So, that leaves only a little painting window, and I'm using ink and watercolor on handmade paper, and trying to capture those vivid hues.  I hope these sunny blooms last long into winter - and I can try them in oils!  Painting number 3230 in 3230 days. 

Suburban Turkey

I don't remember painting many Thanksgiving things before, but this season they have been jumping out at me!  This cute metal turkey was perched on the table, so I added a few pumpkins and started sketching!  With ink and watercolor I captured the scene, then purchased those little pumpkins for my own table!  Painting number 3212 in 3212 days 

Turkey Time

Suburban Lawn and Garden had two of these amazing vintage style turkeys, one standing and one sitting, and of course I had to draw one!  I love how real they look, so pen and ink makes a wonderful medium.  I sketched the lines first with an archival ink and an extra fine nib, then I used a broad nib and Levenger's Raven Black ink. This ink moves with a little water in a brush pen, which I use to get those grays.  Can't wait to sketch more turkeys this month!  Painting number 3210 in 3210 days. 

Pumpkins

The Monday Morning Watercolorists met at Suburban Lawn and Garden on this rainy day - so of course I am painting the pumpkins!  With so many seasonal items throughout the nursery - it was hard to focus on just a few!  With ink and watercolor I sketched these on a 3.5x2.5 cotton paper.  After adding watercolor, I added a little more ink.  I took the little guys home for my Thanksgiving decor as well!  Painting number 3209 in 3209 days. 

Moon Cacti

Love the vibrant "moons" sitting atop these tiny cacti!  I have three of these at home in yellow, red and red orange, so of course I needed the burgundy one to add to my collection!  This one is a miniature at only 3x3 inches square.  I have sketched quickly with an almost empty black ink fountain pen, watercolored, then added a little more ink from another pen - Robert Oster's Great Southern Ocean.  It is a really lovely ink pushing turquoise, and fun to add to colorful scenes such as outdoor floral work. I don't think I used it all winter, it just didn't match my surroundings.  As spring approaches, I'll be pulling it out more often!  Painting number 2974 in 2974 days. 

Orchids

So fun to paint orchids inside the nursery with a few artist friends!  Suburban Lawn and Garden is a wonderful place to paint beautiful blooms.  This orchid planter called out to me as I scanned the nursery.  I'm using Robert Oster's Great Southern Ocean in my blue TWSBI Eco fountain pen, and use it and a black ink to sketch out my lines.  A little watercolor fills out the 3x3 inch paper.  The best part of sketching here is the shopping I get to do afterwards!  I brought 4 new plants home today!  Painting number 2968 in 2968 days. 

Oaks at Creek

It's been ages since I've been to the city, and this is what I paint on arrival!  Lol!  I met artist friends (the Monday Morning Watercolorists) at Suburban Lawn and Garden this afternoon, and I walked around back to scout out that lovely creek before going in.  How could I possibly leave this spot unpainted?!!  Pulling out a 3x3 inch paper, I did a quick sketch followed with watercolor.  I tried 3 different water brush pens before settling on one.  I need to throw out the worn out ones and mark one that is super loose with the water!  It is good to use for a wet area, but really not good on those branches and leaves!  Thank goodness I had what I needed, because I just grabbed that bag on my way out.  I have been known to raid supplies from another sketch bag - leaving myself wanting at another time!  Oh the life of the artist!  Painting number 2967 in 2967 days. 

Suburban Lawn and Garden

I couldn't resist these tables full of blooms, tropicals and succulents!!  Garden centers are wonderful places full of plants, pots and structure - an ideal place for an artist to compose and paint - and this place is one of my favorites!  Suburban Lawn and Garden is a gracious host - offering sustenance as we sketch.  What a treat to spend the morning inside among the flowers on a cold, winter day!  This painting is number 2602 in 2602 days!

Orchid!

Suburban Lawn and Garden is a warm, inviting place to paint during the cold winter days in Missouri.  The Art Mob meets here to paint about once a year - and out host is generous indeed!  With cookies, a veggie tray and pizza they welcomed us to their nursery for a morning well spent!  What could be better than sketching with artist friends in such a wonderful environment?  Painting number 2600 in 2600 days.

Orchid Table

purchase here

This morning was our monthly painting event with the Art Mob - and it was at one of my favorite places - Suburban Lawn and Garden!  How could I possibly resist this gorgeous orchid table?  Well, obviously I couldn't!!  Using ink and watercolor to sketch these beauties on handmade paper from India.  I have the most wonderful offices!  Painting number 2582 in 2582 days.

Paperwhites ATC

I had finished a little early and set my other paintings with the group montage, and realized I had 10 minutes more to paint before lunch.  Well, you KNOW I had to take advantage of that time!  I rushed to where these paperwhites stood, rising gloriously from exposed bulbs.  I could have used a taller paper, but I didn't have one with me.  So, I set those lines down, loose and sketchy and tried to wash that color in fast!  To my dismay, my water brushpens had gummed up with the sizing in my journal, so neither was feeding water.  I almost used spit.......and then thought better of it, digging into my bag for a tiny water bottle I keep for emergencies.  Problem solved, and I didn't have to paint with spit!  Painting number 1832 in 1832 days.