Long House Summer

 

It was fun to gather with artist friends for a quick paint at the Overland Park Arboretum!  The Long House is a cool feature in the landscape to paint!  I first spotted the construction on this hill from Monet's Pond, as I painted a sunset quick paint.  I couldn't imagine how the building would enhance the gardens, and could only think of the loss of natural space.  Well, now I see how it anchors the landscape, and has become a wonderful community space.  I love capturing this place in oil, and it is now showing in the gallery space inside that building.  Painting number 4996 in 4996 days. 

Sunflower Song

It was a beautiful evening for painting sunflowers at the Overland Park Arboretum.  These Maximilian sunflowers have been planted in dedication to a member who has enriched the arboretum through the years, and they are putting on a show!  It was a wild and crazy tangle of flowers to try to make sense of, but I gave it my best - and it was fun, too!  I am honored to be among the top 4 with this painting.  This painting is 4996 in 4996 days, and now showing at the Long House gallery on site.  

Twilight in the Garden

 

The flowers are really stunning along the path to the LongHouse! It was a pleasure to paint them at twilight, when the garden was still.  My daughters painted nearby, and we visited as we finished up.  Mom waited for us in the LongHouse, and we turned our next paintings in and joined the reception.  Come see this in person until November 1. Painting number 4625 in 4625 days. 

Butterflies in the Garden

 

The gardens at the Overland Park Arboretum are full of butterflies - and it was a joy to paint them for their very first plein air event!  A wedding reception was taking place in the background, and the music wafted up from the terrace as I worked. The temperature was perfect and only gentle breezes stirred the air. Both of my daughters participated, and Mom walked the garden, finding benches in the shade to rest.  Their paintings are beautiful, and all will be on display until November 1st at the Long House.  What a lovely way to spend an afternoon!  Painting number 4624 in 4624 days. 

Stroll through the Garden

I had a perfect spot in the shade of an old crabapple, in the rock path herb garden from which to paint.  A cool breeze came across the lake, refreshing as the day warmed up.  Walkers along the path visited before moving on, and it was a joy to paint while surrounded with the sights and fragrance of the garden.  I do love painting here at the Overland Park Arboretum, and I wish I could paint here more.  This is a peaceful, thoughtful place to spend immersed in flowers and paint.  I plan to submit this one to the Rice Gallery, along with a couple more yet unpainted!  Painting number in days. 

Longhouse at the Arboretum

 It's so fun to sketch at the Overland Park Arboretum with artist friends and my daughter, too!  This grand new entrance with it's long reflection pools spilling one into another, is beautiful.  I am using a long, thin cotton paper for this sketch, and it buckles a little when wet. As with all handmade papers, each one is different, and part of the process is learning it's attributes, and focusing on what works rather than what doesn't. Once, I set the more challenging papers aside, now I embrace those differences, and am driven to make the most of them.  It's a bit like life, isn't it?  Painting number 5173 in 5173 days. 

Autumn Bench

 

It was super fun to paint the autumn color with artist friends and my daughter at the arboretum today!  This place is beautiful in every season, and it's always a treat to paint here. I used only my newest mini Qor palette today, and i love the fluid spread of this paint - even on my very absorbent, thin, soft cotton paper today.  This red may be my all time favorite red watercolor!  It's so rich and vibrant!  This was only a 30 minute sketch, but I'd love to return and paint here in oils!  Painting number 5172 in 5172 days 

Marigolds

 

What a perfect day to spend with artist friends and family, in a garden, with ink and watercolor!  Michaela and the little ones joined me, so I found this lovely spot by the train garden to paint.  The boys played among the trains and in the caboose, while I finished.  We finished the day by stopping at the Cafe and gift shop.  The new Longhouse is such a great space for gathering!  Wish I could do this every single day!  Painting number 5138 in 5138 days. 

Fuchsia Zinnias and Butterfly

It was a gorgeous morning to meet artist friends at the Overland Park Arboretum to paint!  We're enjoying cool August days, and I was actually chilly when I headed out.  Michaela and her little ones joined me for some time in the train garden after this paint.  I am using the new metallic palette (Summer Fun) that I just purchased from Chubby Mermaid on Etsy, and adding shimmers to some of my masses. Wow, how it sparkles in the sun!  I think I'm going to have plenty of summer fun with these jewels.  What a lovely way to start the day! Painting number 5137 in 5137 days. 

Beyond the Garden 2024

 

I am so honored this painting of the Overland Park Arboretum was commissioned by the City of Overland Park.  This painting will be carried to Germany and given as a gift to their Sister City, Bietigheim-Bissingen, where it will hang.  The arboretum is a crowning jewel in Overland Park, and the recent addition of the Long Building (on the hill) made this painting the perfect gift.  I'm so happy they reached out to me while I was traveling in Marblehead,Ohio.  I was strolling the bank of Lake Erie when I got the call.  What a lovely honor this is!  Painting number 5132 in 5132 days. 

Garden Bridge

I will never tire of painting this place!  The Overland Park Arboretum is one of my favorite places to paint, and I LOVE sneaking away for a couple hours to soak in the beauty!  This garden is ever changing, with blooms in transition from one blush to another.  Oils are my medium today, and the rich buttery texture is perfect to describe the flora and water.  It is so very peaceful to paint in a garden, and I'm so happy to come here when I can. Painting number 3883 in 3883 days. 

Garden Walk

 I come to these gardens often to paint, and each time I find new flowers in bloom.  My daughters joined me today with their little ones, Augustus, Casper and Kirby.  Gus painted 3 paintings with his watercolors, Casper stamped and drew a little before he was after every bug and frog he could find, and little Kirby was mostly content in his stroller while we visited.  Cooper was there, too, working on his computer, on a shady bench.  It is fun to capture the ever changing beauty with oils, and fun to visit with those enjoying the garden.  It is so very peaceful to become one with a place, just the garden, my panel and paints.  It was a lovely day to spend in the garden. Painting number 3795 in 3795 days. 

Around the Garden Path

What an amazing morning I had at the Overland Park Arboretum painting the walking path!  I love painting here, with the sights and sounds of spring!  Stems Plein Air is going on all month, so I'm happy to get the chance to paint here again for it.  I'm so at home in a garden, and it is certainly a peaceful place to paint with friends.  Painting number 3788 in 3788 days. 

Babbling Brook

 

It was fun to sketch this babbling brook with my daughter and the little ones, all enjoying this sweet garden!  Little Casper was mesmerized by the water running under a little bridge - right out of view.  He went back and forth, laying down on the bridge to get closer to that water!  Baby Kirby was content to watch the leaves blow on the tree, peaceful and happy.  They enjoyed the area so much, as Michaela and I both sketched our own scenes.  She is participating in Stems again this year, after a few years away.  It's so nice to see her pursue her creative interests.  Painting number 3773 in 3773 days. 

Beyond the Garden

The weather could not have been more perfect for the Sunset Quick Paint at the arboretum for Stems Plein Air!  I especially loved painting here again with my daughter, who has accompanied me many times here as a child, and later to paint for the event herself!  It's very special to share this creative time with her, in such a peaceful place.  The sunset was amazing, and had me longing for my oils at the finish!  Painting number 3770 in 3770 days. 

Monet's Bridge Impressions

What a beautiful day for painting in Monet's Garden, at the Overland Park Arboretum!  It was planting day at the arboretum, and this garden was full of gardeners in the morning. So after painting the Erikson garden first, I returned to capture it's beauty.  It is a later spring this year, and the lily pads are only beginning to grow on the pond.  I've never seen the Dame's Rockets bloom here - so I had to stand near them, including them in my painting.  I only just added them to my own garden last year, a transplant from my youngest daughter's new house, and I love them.  I've seen them for years along roadsides and abandoned old farmhouses, a vintage bloom from years gone by.  I love the memories flowers evoke, and the timeless nature of every bloom.  Painting number 4226 in 4226 days. 

Monet's Bridge

With only 30 minutes left before meeting the Art Mob, I just had to do a quick paint of Monet's Bridge before leaving.  I've never thought of painting this view before, but didn't want to take the time to move my set up from my first painting!  So, I jumped in with big masses first. When I'm short on time, I try to get down as much information as I can in that time.  I had not yet reloaded my palette, so I had to work with the ultramarine violet for my quick darks - which does not work well!  It is far too translucent to push into other masses and achieve impact.  But when time is of the essence, I let my hands work as they will!  I could have used 15 more minutes to tighten this up, but it still gives a good representation of my impressions of the moment.  Painting number 3145 in 3145 days. 

Garden Path

I LOVE painting the lush gardens at the Overland Park Arboretum!  I try to pop in whenever I get a chance to paint among the flowers here, but this is the first time I've been here so late in August. The blooms are overflowing the beds, so abundant and full that I simply could not resist painting them!  I started by painting in the masses, marking the flower colors, before going in with my darks.  I did not want to lose the flowers in the scene, so those notes hold their places in the composition. My palette is in dire need of a clean and reload after two weeks of long days spent in the heat, but alas I did not have time before heading out this morning.  I MUST do it tonight to prepare for Saturday's event - and next week!  There's just never enough hours in a day!  Painting number 3144 in 3144 days. 

Bridge Garden

I've never painted this remote garden in the arboretum, but the wonderful drift of yellow blooms called me in.  The small bridge with trickling water was very pleasant to paint by, and made for an interesting composition.  This was Tri-County day at the arboretum, and it was fun to meet my artist friends there to paint!  I hoped to paint the waterfall after this, but the water was not running from the lake.  Maybe next time!  Painting number 3079 in 3079 days. 

Pink Peony Impressions

I just could not walk past this tree peony without painting it!  Today's "Monday Watercolorists" location was the Overland Park Arboretum, and I try to never miss a chance to paint here.  I drove through a little rain to get here, but the overcast and chilly afternoon soon warmed up and the sun came out, adding a glow to the freshly washed blooms!  After painting these, and one other nearby, I then scouted the rest of the paths through the garden. I'm always thinking about that next painting, and checking the blooms for peak color.  There will be many peonies blooming in the coming days.  Painting number 3037 in 3037 days.