Yellow Sulphur on Zinnia

These are butterfly days indeed, as many fly into the garden to play!  It's such a joy to set down my garden tools and pick up pen and sketchbook for a quick capture of life in my garden!  The zinnias are show stoppers that attract many pollinators, and I choose my favorite here.  Too soon the days are growing short, and I'll miss the long, hot days of summer.  Painting number 4974 in 4974 days. 

Peach Zinnias

 

I love painting the cool zinnias that pop up from saved seed!  LOVE that awesome peach color on those unruly petals!  I save seed over the years, often gathered on trips to special places. These might have come from St. Charles, near the Boone Lick lodging. I also have red ones in the garden, and I hope to paint them soon with butterflies around them!  Painting number 4971 in 4971 days. 

Pink Zinnias

 

Painting zinnias always reminds me of Grandma Bessie!  She introduced me to these beauties the first season I helped her in the garden, all those years ago.  I remember the giant red zinnias the most, as we dropped seed into a long, shallow row in front of her irises.  I helped prepare the area,  with her guidance, and she would often have something to eat in the kitchen when we were finished.  Sometimes, I'd fun to Sonic for tenderloin sandwiches - a favorite for her and Jewel. What memories return each year with the flowers. Painting number 4934 in 4934 days. 

Plant Sale at the Garden

Purchase Award Winner

I love painting in the community garden at the Anita Gorman Conservation Center - especially with artist friends. I started and finished this one in the sun, but painted in between from the shade.  It was 96 degrees as I headed home, such is super hot for this time of year.  The zinnias were glorious, and I've never seen the native plant sale wrap around the parking lot before today - so, of course, I had to paint it!  Today is the second Quick Paint for Brush Creek Art Walk  - and I'm so honored that my painting was chosen for the Purchase Award!  This painting will hang by a bronze plaque with my name on it!  So exciting!  Painting number 4638 in 4638 days. 

Zinnias!

 

Sneaking in a quick sketch amid the endless garden work is my sweet reward!  With so much traveling this year, I've fallen behind in the garden.  So, I'm putting in countless hours in an effort to bring them all back to glory.  No small feat, as I know no bounds when creating spaces I want to paint!  As I finished this tiny painting, I felt restored and ready to tackle another bed! Painting number 4629 in 4629 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. 

Zinnia Garden

Oh my!  I love painting a zinnia garden in full bloom!  What a glorious sight to capture in paint, especially in oils.  Carefully marking the masses with color and value, this painting unfolded as I worked.  Getting to use full strength oil paint on those vibrant blooms is so much fun - as seldom do I get the chance to do that.  These zinnias are really a celebration of color - and I'm so happy I get to paint them!  Painting number 3899 in 3899 days. 

Two Zinnias

 

I am painting my indoor zinnias since I didn't come to my easel until after dark!  What started as trimming a few trees on the wooded path through the raspberry patch, turned into a work until dark day.  With no daylight left and no desire to go back or for a nocturne paint, I turned once again to my hydronic garden for floral support!  These blooms just get bigger and bigger, and in fact, I had to take the plant out of my Gardyn and set it up Kratky style in a large mason jar. It was not getting enough water in the small cup of the garden set up.  I chose to plant my collected seed in there, knowing it would be far too large one day.  I love having those blooms in the house! Thank goodness for hydronics! Painting number 3897 in 3897 days, abs day13 of the stradaeasel challenge.  It seems that some of my posts have not been posting recently.  When I get a little time, I'm going to have to go back through and reload the missing ones.  

Giant Zinnias

 

ANY time spent painting a garden is time well spent!  The Monday Morning Watercolorists met at the Anita Gorman Discovery Center for our weekly paintout, and I knew I wanted my oils for this place.  Without even scouting the grounds, I landed at the zinnias in the front community garden beds - along with two artist friends.  Its so fun to use thick, bold color right out of the tube on those petals - they almost seem to pop off the panel!  I find so much inspiration in a garden, and this one was a joyful paint - even though the hot dry weather is showing a bit on the leaves!  These blooms will go out in a blaze of glory, and are now immortalized on my panel. Painting number 4353 in 4353 days. 

Fairground Zinnias

You KNOW I couldn't resist those glorious zinnias in front of a turquoise building - even in strong wind!! After turning in an earlier painting in the nearby building, I just could not leave this location until this painting was done!  Those gorgeous colors were calling me and i had to answer! So, quickly with my oils, I sketched this one out with my brush and paints, squinting to see the big shapes.  I've had fun today painting with my oils, and I'm looking forward to the week ahead!  Day 26 #stradaeasel challenge ♥️🎨

Zinnias!

I LOVE painting the volunteer zinnias in my garden, collected from my travels while painting! During the Covid lock down, Mom and I made a regional tour to 5 galleries, delivering artwork and commissions.  We stayed in some amazing places, with gorgeous gardens, and I couldn't help but collect seed where it had dropped on public streets.  Some of these were giant zinnias, the largest, fullest, I had seen, in pink, red and purple.  I save seed from year to year, but didn't get around to planting the zinnias this spring.  I have several big, beautiful plants that sprung up on their own from last year's blooms.  They even came up where I would have planted them!  So, tonight I am painting the pink ones as they start their first blush, even after many days in the 100s, and little rain!  I can't wait to paint them in their full glory next month!  Painting number 4289 in 4289 days. 

Fairground Zinnias

I've never been to the Edward's County Fairgrounds before today, and just look at what welcomed me!  All these gorgeous zinnias shining in front of a lovely turquoise building!  It wowed me when I arrived to turn in two paintings, and as I enjoyed a quick lunch - I kept looking out at them.  Determined to check out West Salem first, I headed to my car to do just that.  With a quick look at that light, I tossed my plans to paint this beauty instead!  When my inner voice says,  "Paint!!" - I must listen! What a glorious afternoon spent among this darlings!  I'm so happy this painting went home with the Master Gardener that created this!  Painting number 3173 3173 days. 

Zinnias

I love painting the zinnias planted from seed collected on my travels.  This seed came from giant beauties growing outside of the Boone's Lick Trail Inn in Saint Charles, Missouri. Mom and I were on a gallery trip - dropping off paintings in several galleries through the midwest, staying in awesome, historic B & Bs along the way.  I plucked the seed while we were walking into town to enjoy the live music wafting our way.  Seems like all my flowers have memories, and I do enjoy watching them grow and painting them in their glory. Painting number 3158 in 3158 days. 
 

Rusty Arbor Zinnias

This beautiful, rusty arbor called to me as I walked through the arboretum this morning.  After a grueling workout at the gym, the flora and fauna here rejuvenated me, calling to me at every turn.  Years ago, I painted this arbor when it was new, with a blushing pink climbing rose upon it.  The planting has changed from a rose garden to a zinnia garden, perfect choice for the arbor's vintage feel.  Using my oils over an old painting from 2011, I quickly get the masses in.  Since I was painting over a fountain painting - I had to blot that structure out early.  Once in loosely, it is fun to paint, allowing some of that background to peep through.  It really adds a depth in a hurry, and I love the feel.  Plus, reusing panels is always a great idea that saves me time and work!  And, it's kind of fun to have a secret painting hidden underneath!  Painting number 2825 in 2825 days. 

Zinnia Garden

 Today finds me painting in the zinnia garden at the Overland Park Arboretum with the tiny bumblebees!  These little bees are all over these blooms, but I did not encounter a single one in the garden by the pond!  I love sketching the beauty of these blooms, sitting in this peaceful place with the fragrance of the garden all around me.  I am blessed indeed.  Painting number 2809 in 2809 days. 

Bee and Zinnias

 These beautiful yellow zinnias called and called while I painted a larger view of this bed!  With 10 minutes left, I jumped into this quick paint - because I had to paint this view before meeting my watercolorist friends!  These tiny bumblebees really liked these zinnias - and I enjoyed getting to paint them!  With ink and watercolor I sketched as fast as I could and met the others before most of the group had gathered!  It was nice having my mom join me today in the gardens - the Overland Park Arboretum is always a joy to stroll through!  Painting number 2807 in 2807 days. 

Swizzle Zinnias

 I grew these zinnias from seed collected from Cherry Swizzle zinnias which are white and pink.  I was so pleasantly surprised when they bloomed yellow and pink!  So far, half the starts have this color variation!  Love what seeds do on their own!  So naturally,  I have to paint them!  With Robert Oster's Thunderstorm ink in a favorite fountain pen, I start sketching in miniature ATC size.  I add watercolor with my half pans and finish before dark.  Love these little moments spent painting in my garden.  Painting number 2791 in 2791 days. 

Swizzle Zinnias

Sometimes, I can't find a moment to paint until day's end!  I was so busy in the gardens today, that it seems I never came up for air.  The golden hour was majestic, and still I worked.  The sunset was glorious, but I was still picking up tools.  So, here I return to my potting table, where tomorrow's work awaits, and do a quick ink and watercolor as I lose all light in the sky!  Love this fancy zinnia, by the way!  I have never seen this variety before, so I HAD to have them!  Swizzle Cherry and Ivory Zinnia - what a name and that bicolor is awesome!  Painting number 2666 in 2666 days.

Allium and Zinnias

Allium and Zinnias
Acrylic over molding paste on panel, 14x11
Overland Park Arboretum
Stems Plein Air Event - sold

After a morning of awards at school, I headed out Friday to get a couple of paintings in.  I wanted to paint over molding paste again, this time with more careful knife strokes - and adding detail to the background areas which I left flat on the earlier piece.  I am currently using Liquitex light molding paste, where I used Golden last time.  I find the Liquitex has a surface that more readily accepts the overpainting.  I found the Golden brand had a bit of resistance, causing my paint to be lighter when painting over the molded parts.  I had added acrylic paint to the Golden paste to add in the same color as my surface, hoping to improve how the paint adhered afterwards - but it did not.  So, for this technique, Liquitex wins - hard to believe, as I love all of the Golden acrylic products that I have tried, and I use Liquitex very little.  It was so warm, the paste was dry when I was ready to start with the acrylics.  By the time I had finished, I had backed up 30 feet to keep myself out of the sun which kept creeping my way!  I really like painting these florals in this way - I have already done 2 others, and may even try a whole landscape later in the week.  I know, just a little "crazy" in my normal, everyday routine......just to spice things up!  Painting number 518 in as many days - where does the time go?

Outside the Garden Wall

Outside the Garden Wall
Oil on panel, 14x11
Kaufman Legacy Park
Brush Creek Art Walk

Today's painting adventure included an early lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and a little shopping on the Plaza with Michaela.  Day three of the Brush Creek Art Walk found me painting in zone 2 - just south of the gorgeous Kaufman Legacy Park.  The light was amazing, and all was fresh and washed from the brief, but heavy, rain during lunch.  To the west of me, music from the south lawn of the Nelson Atkins Gallery serenaded me as I worked.  Pretty posh painting day - if only they were all like this!  My 255th painting in as many days and Day 15 in the current 30 day painting challenge.