Daylilies

These vibrant double daylilies are spectacular in the garden!  A real showstopper, I have only seen the doubles at the Amelia Earhart home in Atchison, Kansas. Another friend told me these lilies are a civil war era variety. They stand tall among lilies and are at their best for the 4th of July.  On this busy holiday weekend of festivities and family fun here, I am slipping in a miniature painting to match my tiny painting window.  With ink and watercolor I sketch first the lilies, then follow with watercolor to add life to the blooms.  I love painting in the golden light of evening - the perfect time to capture these beauties!  Perhaps I'll paint them in oil this year, I'm not sure I ever have!  Painting number 3094 in 3094 days. 

Lilies!

Seizing the cool morning to reclaim my front flower beds from pop up weeds, I worked hard until late afternoon.  It's so hard to stop the forward progress when I'm on a roll!  With heat indexes in the triple digits, I finally threw in the towel, but oh those beds are shining!  So, my sweet reward is a little time spent in the lilies, with ink and watercolor.  These beauties have been going strong for three weeks already, and are among the very first daylilies I ever planted.  Love their bright presence in the garden!  Painting number 2753 in 2753 days.

Orange Daylilies

Oh how I love these daylilies!  The very first starts came from Grandma Bessie's garden, and I carefully planted them in my front gardens.  Over the years, I have scavenged them from gravel road ditches and deserted places, giving them new life in my gardens.  Grandma called them tiger lilies, and they grace many historic homes in the midwest.  So, after having the family out - and TWO tiny babies to cuddle - I am painting these happy blooms in ink and watercolor.  I have Robert Oster's Black is Black in my TWSBI fountain pen, and watercolor half pans for the color.  Such a perfect evening for painting!  Painting number 2717 in 2717 days.

Daylilies!

Oh my!  These orange daylilies are lighting up the garden, that vivid orange shows so well on the green backdrop!  Not bothered by the heat at all, they stir slightly in the breeze as I paint them.  First the lines with India ink, then I sweep the watercolor into the masses, trying not to lay down too much paint.  This paper is thin, and it can bleed too far when watery.  I like switching up my mediums on a daily basis, it somehow keeps everything fresh.  Now, if I can just remember not to dip my brush in my drinking water!  Painting number 1978 in 1978 days.

watercolor/ink on handmade paper, 2.5x3.5
purchase here

Daylilies in the Garden

These blooms are normally at their best for the fourth of July, but with this extreme heat - they are fading fast!  This bed is in front of the house, and the daylilies are earlier than normal on the south side.  The others spread around the garden, and have only begun to bloom.  I am hoping it will cool back off to normal, and the lilies will share their glory to the end of July.  These beauties came from Grandma Bessie's garden,  and always remind me of times spent with her, working in her flowers.  This painting is number 1267 in a 1267 days.

Daylilies in the Garden
Oil on panel, 6x6
purchase here

Daylily Dance

What a busy day!!  Pilates, running, shopping, painting class, housework, so much weeding(!), and squeezing in a painting - totally filled my day!  I hoped to get another painting in, but I've simply run out of time.  The daylilies are beautiful right now - and they always remind me of my grandmas!  Some of my starts were from Grandma Frank, some from Grandma Bessie, and still others from other friends, and each year when they rise and bloom, I think of them again.  I love how flowers in my garden bring back so many wonderful memories.   Painting number 1264 in 1264 days. 

Daylily Dance
Oil on panel, 7x5
purchase here

Light on the Daylilies

Light on the Daylilies
Oil on panel, 8x10

We had a family evening out to the theater, and upon arriving home, this was the sight outside of my kitchen window.  The sweet light was shooting across the lawn, illuminating the daylilies and some of the garden phlox in the background.  Since I had not had time yet to paint (or even think of subject matter for today) - this landscape jumped out at me.  The panel I picked up was heavily textured - but I am running so low on panels that I scarcely have a choice now on what to use!  Photographing at night, my colors are not true - so I will take another in the daylight.  This painting makes 197 in 197 days :)