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

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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.

Poinsettia

With just a little time left, I pulled out a miniature paper for a quick poinsettia painting!  I had to paint these beauties in my favorite color.  So many shoppers stopped to visiti while I worked - I think I talked more than I painted!  It's always a great day when I meet so many nice people!  I will definitely return to paint another day!  Painting number 2549 in 2549 days. 

Family Tree Christmas

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What a treat today to visit the Family Tree Nursery with the Art Mob!  This place is a Christmas Wonderland full of trees, ornaments, decorations and so much more!  With sitting areas back in the sunlit greenhouses, one could order goodies at their coffee shop, to return and bask in the sun IN SNOWY DECEMBER!  I will definitely be back on those frigid winter days to enjoy this space!  Painting number 2548 in 2548 days. 

Panera Bread in Brookside

As I visited with artist friends at an outdoor table at Starbucks, I found I had enough time to sketch this miniature ATC painting of Panera Bread across the street.  I love this whole Brookside area with it's rich character and charm. and it is a joy to get to paint here with friends.  Art Mob meets once a month on third Thursdays, and I always try to go when in town.  Special treat?  Liz brought her adorable baby girl - so I got my "baby fix", too!!  Painting number 2468 in 2468 days.

Michael Forbes in Brookside

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What a perfect day for sketching in Brookside! 

Starbucks in Brookside

What a perfect day for sketching in Brookside!  The morning air was cool and crisp as I left the house, but warm enough in town that I didn't need my jacket!  After catching up with friends at our monthly Art Mob event - meeting at this Starbucks - I knew I would have to paint it!  I love the drama of these "sliver of pie" buildings, and I jumped at the chance to draw it!  With several artist friends in proximity, it was a fun morning of visiting while painting!  Every time I paint here, I wonder why I don't do it more often.  Painting number 2462 in 2462 days.

Teapot Bouquet

It has been quite a while since I've been to the Vintage Market in Greenwood, so I was delighted that our monthly Art Mob event was scheduled here.  Bonus - after two hours of sketching, we all met at the Tea Room for lunch!  As we sat around the table, I painted this tiny 3x3 card as a gift for the owners.  It is so nice that places like this allow us to invade their space with our artistic ways for a couple of hours!  Painting number 2406 in 2406 days.

Geraniums on the Table

At every turn, this Greenwood Vintage Market offered up another wonderful scene!  After taking a quick pass through the main areas, I jumped right in, hoping I could paint three before lunch!  I love the way the geranium branches fell over the edge of the pot, heavy with blooms.  The color was so rich against the antique cupboard and chair.  Again using this new lighter weight cotton rag paper, I start with inking the lines in my sketchy way.  I float the watercolor in with less water than the first one, to keep it where I want it.  I finish with a few more ink lines with India ink, as my orginal lines were quick and light.  Perhaps they rubbed off a little with the watercolor work?  Too soon to tell if it is a trait of the paper.  Next, I'll have to try a larger size, and see how it behaves!  It's like I'm interviewing this paper, and I keep calling him back.  Not sure if he's got the job, yet!  Painting number 2374 in 2374 days.

Armor for Man and Horse

It feels so good to be sketching again with the Art Mob, and in one of my favorite places, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.  The horse and men in armor are very striking at first sight.  I set up immediately to get them drawn.  A challenging subject with all that detail, I actually started at the back and worked forward.  Drawing each angle and line as it related to what was beside it, the drawing came together.  I think I'll draw this again, only using watercolor.  No paints allowed in the museum, I'm afraid.  Painting number 2248 in 2248 days.

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Antique Christmas Trees

A holiday watercolor painting from the Mission Road Antique Mall, ready for Saturday's show and sale at the mall.  It's a shame I won't be there to share it. Painting number 2112 in 2112 days.

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Kayaks!

Summer is in full swing, and I will soon be painting watercraft of all kinds!  I love the vibrant color of these kayaks as they stand along the outside walls.  Scouting several angles, I decided to do them all!  At Scheels for our monthly Art Mob event, I was able to squeeze this in right before taking Beau to the vet - again!  A little ink and watercolor was just the therapy I needed after another night of scant sleep.  It's remarkable how a little time spent painting can restore me,  no matter what!  This cheerful painting is number 1987 in 1987 days. 

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Kayaks!!

Look what I found to paint at Scheels today  - kayaks in bright colors!  Today was Art Mob day at Scheels - which is always a fun place to sketch.  There is such variety in subject matter!  My intention was to sketch the indoor ferris wheel - but I didn't get any further than the airplane and these kayaks!  Those bright colors get me every time!  I am again mixing my inks and watercolors!  An India ink and a soluable one, and my favorite watercolor confection pans.  Perhaps one day I'll add some of my colored inks, too. I LOVE how vibrant they are!  Painting number 1985 in 1985 days.

Farmstead Morning

Morning is my very favorite time to paint on a farm!  Lucky to have my daughter join me, we painted at the Deanna Rose Farm with the Art Mob - which is also part of Stems Plein Air!  We walked over to the original part, drawn to the animals and farm life.  I simply could not pass this scene, complete with horses and goats!  As we painted, one of the girls brought in hay for the goats - and they went crazy!  Practically climbing up the feeder, they all stood together, eating!  I was just ready to paint the goats in, so it was perfect timing!  They were entertaining us the whole time with their funny noises as begging for food!  One even started nibbling on the leg of Michaela's easel!  Painting number 1948 in 1948 days.

oil on panel, 9x12
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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.

Hydrandea and Daffodils

Painting in the midst of blooms and tropicals, is a little slice of heaven in January.  Suburban Lawn and Garden hosted us today for our monthly Art Mob event - and graciously supplied us with pizza, popcorn and cookies!  I arrived a little early to get a jump on painting, and finished two journal pages and three ATCs before lunch. What a joy to paint spring blooms!  After painting, I did a little shopping, bringing home more hyacinth bulbs, a miniature cyclamen, and the most unusual air plant I've ever seen!  A day well spent!  Painting number 1831 in 1831 days.

Merry Go Round

Our monthly art mob event was at Oak Park Mall this morning. We met at the carousel and soon began our work. I first started my composition with an ink drawing, followed by watercolor. With the constant motion of the merry-go-round, I had to work quickly and loosely. One of the best parts of meeting monthly with fellow artists is getting to visit over lunch afterwards. We all display our work together for a quick photo, then off to lunch we go. Today was especially fun because these are my old stomping grounds where I grew up! This painting makes 1793 to in 1793 days.

Wild Hydrangea Inked

After a drawing as a painting, I was headed to meet the rest of the Art Mob when I saw this.  I could not resist,  and HAD to pull out pen and paper for a quick sketch!  My water brushpen tip was a little tacky from the sizing on one of my journals, so, the water did not flow as it should. Squeezing out a little on my hand, I was able to make it work!  (A good washing returns the tip to new.)  One of my favorite flowers, I did not know they grow wild in Missouri!  What a fun day this has been - now on to the next event!  Painting number 1626 in 1626 days.

Wildflower Path

Today's Art Mob plein air at the Anita Gorman conservation center was a lesson in "rolling with the punches"!  A lovely place, I quickly found my subject matter.  Drawing it portrait format in my journal, I decided to sketch it landscape. I was out of unpainted 4x6 papers.  That's okay, is just start in with the paint.  I open my pochade to find two wet paintings - I forgot to remove them and reload!  I walked back to my car, because I have a carrier with two fresh panels, only to find one of them already painted. I still had one!  I grabbed my OFF clip on,  because I already had a bite and the clip on fell off my easel in the trunk. I got back to my set up, and finally started painting!  I took off my sunglasses, and one side fell off, the tiny screw lost in the grass.  I walked away with a painting I really like, and two ink stretches.  I couldn't pass a hydrangea on the way out without sketching it!  A crazy mixed up plein air day - and my 1625th painting in 1625 days...... or is it 1626?