Walk through the Rose Garden

 

Happy Mother's Day!!  It's been a wonderful day spent with my amazing Mom and the whole family!!  This year we let the guys take care of the details, which had our daughter by marriage, Rebekah, saving the day with delicious Quiches, cilantro lime slaw and more, while the guys made cheeseburgers and espinaca, picking up a couple of pies.  The weather was beautiful and we spent the day outdoors, enjoying our time together.  This painting is another from a perennial favorite place - the Loose Park Rose Garden, which held a special plein air for arbor day.  Painting number 4877 in 4877 days. 

Fountain by the Roses

Fountain by the Roses
Oil on panel, 16x12
Loose Park, Kansas City, Missouri

This is possibly my favorite park in  which to paint in Kansas City.   I love roses with a passion, and this park has it all - roses, fountains, arbors, and paths.  Twice, I have painted here when a wedding party arrived, and the ceremony performed, all before I had finished my painting!  I set up on the lower level for this one, I have been on the upper tier for my previous two. I wanted to get in a little closer, and more directly in line with the fountain.  I am thinking of entering this painting in the Fountain Foundation Auction - to support the repair and maintenance of our 400 fountains in Kansas City.  Painting number 578 in 578 days :)

July Roses in Loose Park

July Roses in Loose Park
Oil on canvas, 7x5
Loose Park, Kansas City, MO

I am again painting on canvas in a small size - only 7x5 inches.  This park is so romantic - no wonder there are many weddings here each year!  The fountain babbles as the fragrance of the roses waft in the air - ideal surroundings for losing oneself in the paint!  I need to get some more surfaces cut, but with all that has been on my agenda, there has simply been no time for it.  Thus, I return to the loose canvas, cutting the desired size - largely dictated by the painting window I have today!  The oils feel so creamy after my latest acrylic and watercolor ramblings.  I wish I had time to continue painting all day!  Painting number 566 in 566 days :)

Loose Park Fountain

Loose Park Fountain
Oil on canvas, 24x18

I have wanted to paint this scene again ever since I painted there last June.  My first painting sold at the Fountain Foundation Auction - and it was one I really didn't want to part with!  Using my reference photos and image of last year's painting, I set about to recreate it.  I found myself making little changes,  more cools to offset the warms, more varied brushwork - and the colors here really are quite different than the first one.  Is it because the first was painted en plein air - in the heat and strong sunshine of the day?  Or am I simply a different painter than I was last year?  After all, that was over 365 paintings ago.  With such a large painting, I am going to let this one rest on the wall for a while.  It was hard for me to get back from it enough as I worked.  I will live with it a little and see if anything pops out at me. I really do love painting the Loose Park rose gardens - they are amazing!   Painting number 548 in 548 days - and I am keeping this one :)

Outside the Garden Wall

Outside the Garden Wall
Oil on panel, 14x11
Kaufman Legacy Park
Brush Creek Art Walk

Today's painting adventure included an early lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and a little shopping on the Plaza with Michaela.  Day three of the Brush Creek Art Walk found me painting in zone 2 - just south of the gorgeous Kaufman Legacy Park.  The light was amazing, and all was fresh and washed from the brief, but heavy, rain during lunch.  To the west of me, music from the south lawn of the Nelson Atkins Gallery serenaded me as I worked.  Pretty posh painting day - if only they were all like this!  My 255th painting in as many days and Day 15 in the current 30 day painting challenge.

Cascading Roses

Cascading Roses
Oil on panel, 14x11
Loose Park Rose Garden

I simply adore the Loose Park Rose Garden!  This painting is of the outer circle of arbors that surrounds the water fountain.  These roses are  overflowing with blooms like cups running over!  When I picked out this landscape, I wondered which size to choose for my panel.  I erred on the side of logic, picking a 14x11, as 16x12 would take longer - and I didn't have that much time.  Oh, how I wish I had chosen a larger size!  This landscape is so regal, it simply begs to be in a grand size!  I will get to at a later date........painting number 158 in 158 days.  What shall I paint tomorrow?

Fountain of Loose Park

Fountain of Loose Park
Oil on panel, 16x12
Fountain Festival Plein Air Paint - sold
purchase prints here

What a perfect day to paint en plein air!  Perfect temperature, perfect breezes, PERFECT rose gardens!  As part of the Fountain Festival, I am one of the area artists creating artwork for a special auction in August.  50% of the proceeds go to the Fountain Foundation for much needed repairs on 7 Kansas City Fountains.  This amazing landscape is the Rose Garden at Loose Park.  The roses are absolutely bursting with blooms - and the fragrance was  heavenly as I painted!  I love roses, and I can not believe I have never been to this park before now.  This is only the first of many painting trips in my future!  Painting 157 in as many days :)

Fountain Festival
(3 paintings to left are mine)