Monarchs and Goldenrod

 

I'm growing native goldenrod in my garden - and the pollinators LOVE it!!  This one is the first to bloom, and it is blooming with reckless abandon!  Bees and butterflies are all over it, so, of course, I had to paint it!  I don't think I've ever painted this beauty before now.  What fun!  Side note - Goldenrod was my "horse" name on the playground at Pawnee - lol! It's funny what comes to mind when I'm out painting in the garden!  Painting number 4612 in 4612 days. 

Goldenrod in the Garden

What a beautiful morning for plein air painting!  Arriving on site, I walked right to this colorful wildflower bed - full of goldenrod run amuck!  I love the reckless abandon of an overflowing wildflower bed!  I tucked myself into a spot of shade to start this painting, after a quick ink drawing.  This drawing is an important step that helps me really sink my teeth into the process.  In this case, I altered my composition slightly after the sketch.  If I had jumped in with paint, it would have been difficult to make those changes without scraping back some of that paint.  This was national butterfly day and monarchs were released as children with nets ran after them.  Just a little extra magic on this beautiful summer day!  Painting number 1716 in 1716 days.

oil on panel, 12x9
honored to be in the top five of the Anita Gorman Center Quick Paint
purchase here

Goldenrod and Sunflowers

Oh my!  What a day!  This morning seems so long ago!  This was a warm and muggy day for painting - but did I ever make the most of it!  Three paintings, two ink drawings, and a Missouri Valley Impressionist Society Signature show opening at the Albrecht Kemper Museum, followed by a nocturne paint out!  A great day to get experimental - and I did with two of them.  I was painting at my leisure for this prairie scene, and the peace and calm nearly oozes from it.  Funny how much of my personal experience of the moment seeps into each painting!  Painting number 1711 in 1711 days.

Oil on panel, 12x9
purchase here