November Hollyhocks

What a lovely, warm day to spend at the Kauffman Garden with artist friends and Tiffany! I couldn't believe when I found hollyhocks blooming so late in the year - so of course, I had to paint them!  This was a quick paint because I only had 20 minutes before leaving, so I sketched fast and dropped in color. I need to vary the blooms a bit to give them a freer form, and maybe I'll do that before putting it away.  I do love hollyhocks and plan to plant a few seeds from this one next year!  Painting number 5188 in 5188 days. 

Hollyhocks!

Barely got this finished when my daughter called to say she was in labor!  We have a new little grandson!!  Painting number 2709 in 2709 days!

Bee and Hollyhocks

I love the way bumblebees hover in the air, with their legs dangling, just before climbing into the flowers.  So tonight, I am inking my composition with India ink, following with watercolor and a little fountain pen ink.  I like the gentle spread of the last ink, used at the finish to punctuate little areas.  I like that India ink in the beginning, as it is well behaved, and allows me to draw with a sketchy, light line with a super fine nib.  It will move if dropped into wet areas, but not like the free flow of that Levenger Raven Black ink.  This paper is very thin, so I am mindful of the amount of water I use. If I'm not careful, those wet areas spread beyond their boundaries, and I'll lose the whites I'm trying to save.  Every painting is a lesson.  Painting number 1976 in 1976 days.

sold

Crimson Hollyhocks

These crimson hollyhocks are absolutely knocking my socks off this year!  They rival any of the beauties I see each year in Door County!  Here, I'm taking a break from a commission to get my plein air fix for the day.  I'm working smaller than normal at 8x6, fitting the panel to my available painting window.  I begin my painting in those masses, first the reds, then then middle greens, and then the landscape around them.  I then go into each mass and lay in the other colors I see, both cool and warm, careful not to over think it.  I adjust my edges, and now it's out to dinner with my girls!  Painting number 1970 in 1970 days.

oil on panel, 8x6
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Red Hollyhocks ATC

Growing from seed I planted last year, I had no idea what color these hollyhocks would be!  I am a constant gatherer of seeds and plants, and never really remember what is coming up where until the plants are popping up from the ground!  Red is my very favorite color - so these blooms are a real treat!  Today, I first draw them in India ink, and then start in with the watercolor.  While those masses are wet, I drop in additional color, allowing it to mingle in those areas of wet color.  I am working ATC size here, but plan to paint these several times in different mediums.  I may just have to use my oils tomorrow!  Painting number 1967 in 1967 days.

watercolor/ink on paper, 3.5x2.5
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Hollyhock Garden

Hollyhock Garden
Pastel over watercolor on paper, 7x10

We had a wonderful workshop today hosted by our Tri-County Art League.  Cathy Kline shared her technique of pastels over watercolor.  I used 140lb cold pressed watercolor block, and first marked out the whites with a white crayon - for sparkle later.  Next, I used the drawing gun as a resist, applying this with a plastic palette knife.  I started with my darks, then worked into the various colors of the garden with my watercolors.  Most of these were painted in transparent colors.  Once dry, I removed the drawing gum and painted the highlights in.  After this was dry, I popped in a little pastel color - dry, right over the top.  It gives a wonderful dimension to the painting, especially because it visually sits on top.  This was so fun playing with my mediums in a different way!  I think I'll be taking these with me out of town - fast, compact, and fun!  I do love to experiment!  Painting number 901 in 901 days :)

at the workshop...

Hollyhocks of Fish Creek

Hollyhocks of Fish Creek
Watercolor, 6x9
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After several days of working in the oils, today finds me longing for the watercolors again.  The flowers all over the Door County Peninsula were absolutely amazing this summer!  The weather was so much cooler than the heat of Kansas City, I actually wore jeans and capris each day - normally starting with a couple of jackets, too!  It was way too chilly for me to be out on the beach, but all of the locals thought this was truly summer weather, because they were out in their swimsuits - in the cold water of Lake Michigan!  Yikes!  I like the summer heat before I swim!  The cooler climate and humid weather must be one reason for such abundant and large flowers.  Hollyhocks were at their peak in almost every town dotting the coastline.  I plan on studying this flower, because I think they are challenging!  I have tried them now in oils, acrylics, molding paste and watercolors, and I think their true essence eludes me.  Working more on the lights and shadows on this one, I do like the translucency of the watercolors for the petals.  I wish I had some of these beauties in my own yard.  I had them for years, but eventually the harsh winters got them.  I'm going to put out some more seed this fall, and hope this coming winter is kind.  Painting number 596 in as many days.

Sunlit Hollyhocks

Sunlit Hollyhocks
Watercolor, 6x9
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On this painting, I am really working to give dimension to the petals of the hollyhocks.  Wanting to define them loosely, I still want to bring out the light and shadow.  I have not been sketching out my compositions in watercolor.  When I start with the Pebeo drawing gum, I mark off the highlights with this, allowing it to dry.  I then go in with my darkest darks, and next the other colors, before rubbing off the resist.  When I use this method, I paint two at once.  This way, I don't lose any time in waiting.  While I wait for the Pebeo to dry, I go to the next one and apply the drawing gum.  While that one dries, I am underpainting the first one.  And then, while the first paints dry, I underpaint the second.  Rubbing off the gum of the first, I then go in with the final watercolors on the same piece.  Next, I move to the second, and rub off the gum and finish the painting.  At the end of this process, I look over both, to see if there is anything else I want to add, or remove with a stiff brush, a little water and a paper towel.  If that little voice in my head tells me, "I'm done", then I stop.  I always listen to this voice, even if I don't want to!  Painting number 585 in 585 days.

Hollyhocks of Ephraim

Hollyhocks of Ephraim
Acrylic over molding paste on panel, 14x11
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As you drive along the main thoroughfare through the harbor town of Ephraim, you can't help but see these amazing hollyhocks!  Just north of the Chef Hat cafe, these bountiful blooms were just begging to be painted!  I had already painted a watercolor and an oil for the day, so I decided to mix it up with the molding paste and acrylics.  Sketching first with pastels, I next sculpted the petals and leaves with a palette knife and molding paste.  Drying quickly in the strong winds off Lake Michigan, I started the underpainting almost immediately.  I lay down the background colors first, leaving the thickest sculpting to dry completely before layering on the acrylics.  Before I knew it, my fellow artists were done painting and ready for dinner, so I had to pack it up without finishing.  I would rather not eat and finish my work, but the majority wins - so I took this one back to the Red Shed and finished it at sunrise before everyone was ready to head out again.  I keep very long hours on these painting trips - and I wouldn't have it any other way!  Painting number 583 in 583 days.

Edgewood Hollyhocks

Edgewood Hollyhocks
Oil on panel, 6x6

While in Door County, I spent a fun day at the Edgewood Orchard Gallery, painting en plein air.  I looked first for shelter, as rain was in the forecast.  Finding a protected area was not enough in this case.  This was the painting I was working on when my easel was suddenly flooded by a torrential downpour!  I had to take my shoes off and lift my easel up to walk it to high ground.  Afterwards, these beautiful hollyhocks were no longer upright, but were laying over towards the ground.  This gallery is a wonderful place to visit - and the grounds are SO paintable!  I would love the chance to paint there again.  Painting number 222 in 222 days :)

Abundant Hollyhocks

Abundant Hollyhocks
Fish Creek Quick Paint
Door County Plein Air

The village of Fish Creek fills up with patrons and artists very early on the day of the Quick Paint.  To be sure we got a good parking spot - we arrived shortly after 6:00 in the morning.  This ensures that we don't have to haul our gear too far from car to location.  These glorious hollyhocks grabbed my attention several days before - and I knew it would be my spot.  When the horn blows, we start painting.  It will blow again in 2 hours - and then we must lay down our brushes.  On this day, I visited with everyone who came by, not really paying attention to the time.  When I finally did check my watch, I had only 20 minutes left!  Yikes!  With a last flurry of impressionistic strokes - I finished.  After the horn, I rushed to frame it at my car, and get it stamped again.  All paintings must be stamped before and after the event.  Quick paints are a lot of fun - and the socials after are even better.  This is my 220th painting in 220 days.

Harbor Morning

Harbor Morning
Oil on panel, 11x14
Egg Harbor, WI
Door County Plein Air

Early in the morning, we headed out to Egg harbor, straight across the peninsula from where we were staying at Kangaroo Lake.  This was my very first paint for the week.  We arrived before the crowds and traffic, while the waters were still.  The weather was SO much cooler up there than in Missouri, more like a fall day than the last week of July!  Cool winds blew in off the water, relaxing me with every soft touch.  It is so tranquil painting by the water - so peaceful are the ripples along the beach.  The pale yellow hollyhocks in the foreground seemed to have grown up out of the rocks as volunteers.  They are everywhere up here, as if the seeds blow in the wind into wild locations.  The sailboats in the distance rocked peacefully to and fro.  What a wonderful place this is to paint!  I only wish I had more time!  This is my 209th painting in as many days :)