Cacti!

The cacti in Arizona are many and varied, with some taller than I am!  Today finds me painting a miniature of this cool cluster of cacti, and finding the forms with ink and watercolor.  I have run out of my favorite black, so Thunderstorm ink by Robert Oster is used for my line work. LOVE getting in a quick little painting before heading to the zoo.  Painting number 3375 in 3375 days. 

Palm Study

What a pleasure to sit out and sketch on a warm, balmy morning!  After an early run and a leisurely cup of hot tea with fresh lemon, this was a treat! I didn't realize my favorite fountain pen was very low in ink, so I'm using another favorite pen that is loaded with Robert Oster's Thunderstorm. I leaned back in an Adirondack chair and looked upward to sketch this beautiful palm tree.  I love studying their shapes and colors, especially since I have to travel to paint them!  Little hummingbirds buzzed all around me as I worked, I was situated back against a lemon tree laden with blooms and fruit  one little bird studied me for several seconds, trying to decide if I was a flower or not!  So fun to experience summer weather in March!  Painting number 3374 in 3374 days. 
 

Oranges on the Branch

We slept on the enclosed patio, and it was delightful! All night long, the sweet aroma of orange blossoms wafted in, as the Arizona winds blew and rain fell sporadically.  I love the sounds and scents outdoors at night, they lull me like a lullaby.  And, waking outside was amazing.  I studied the form of the branches, blossoms and oranges, from my pillow.  As I leisurely headed in for hot tea, my mind was already on painting.  With ink and watercolor I rendered the scene, and went back in for another cup of tea with fresh lemon from another tree.  What a perfect way to start a day!  Painting number 3373 in 3373 days. 

Clear Skies Coming

 I feel like I've been running a race for days now - so I had the tiniest of painting windows.  Using that time for a quick oil study of the skies, I squint down to see the masses and hues, then start adding the color.  When I'm in a hurry, I don't even sketch out with paint - just a fast application of the media.  I want to focus more on cliudscapes this year, so the more practice, the better. Painting number 3372 in 3372 days. 

Winding Sunset Creek

One just never knows what medium I will pick up on any given day.  If you are a regular on my feed - aren't you surprised by these bold ink landscapes?!  Each media seems to bring out a completely different style from me, and I LOVE feeling free enough to blaze that trail!  It doesn't matter if I end up with a masterpiece when the process and exploration are so much fun! The bonus is that a have a very large supply of fountain pen ink - so the possibilities are endless!  Painting number 3371 in 3371 days. 

After the Rain

I am forever drawn to a glorious skyscape!  I don't often take the time to paint them, because it means dropping everything on a time to capture the sky.  So, today I am making that effort, and hope to do more of this.  There's nothing like practice to improve those skills!  Painting number 3370 in 3370 days. 

Inky Sky

Another evening of ink exploration finds me playing with 4 different inks from last night. I had added Diamine's Ash ink for the base of the mountain layer, but it diluted almost out of sight, even with additional ink dropped in.  So, I abandoned it, switching to Stargazer instead.  I do find some interesting mingling between the blue and other inks, almost a drifting quality. Candle Light and Peach Punch are my other Diamine inks here.  I'm using very wet wash over the dropped ink to get this effect, and then it all has a mind of it's own!  I want to try a little bleach on this when it's dry.  Perhaps it will lift out something wonderful!  It's all about the process - and having fun!  Painting number 3369 in 3369 days. 

Inky Landscape

Tonight,  I was in the mood for exploring the depths of a few of the new inks I got at Christmas.  Part of Diamine's Inkvent Calendar, I am using Winter Spice, Thunderbolt, Seize the Night, and Brandy Snap, the inks closest to the colors I see in our stormy landscape right now.  I dropped these inks in where I saw them, with a dropper!  I then took a very wet wash brush, and ran it along the edge of those lines, adding water and blotting as needed to describe the landscape.  As the gloss was off the paper, I added in a bit more ink with a dip pen. The magic all happens in the wet wash - and it's completely uncontrollable!  I love using these inks in such a cool way - and there is a wonderful glistening to the Brandy Snap ink, and some intriguing chroma to the others!  I think more exploration is called for!  Painting number 3368 in 3368 days. 

47th and Nichols

I intended to paint several different buildings this day, arriving early to meet other urban sketchers at the park. Well, I spent so much time on the first sketch, I hardly had time to get this one drawn.  After a quick marking of the lines and angles, I added a few shadows with my pen.  Taking my water brush pen to those masses, I gradated them quickly - making this very loose and fresh!  Urban Sketchers KC is soon trading work with Urban Sketchers Seville - our sister city. How fun it will be to have work from that lovely place in Spain!  Painting number 3367 in 3367 days. 

Daffodils at Night

This day did not go as planned, beginning with a vibration in my back tire that had me turning off the highway and heading back home.  No City Market painting for me today!  After getting the tires checked - and ordered, because of course they don't have them in stock, I started in on my list of chores.  Gathering and framing work to deliver, reworking a gallery wall, thing after thing until finally, I could take a break and paint.  The rain had started mid day, but it was really pouring when I got out there!  So, I nestled in on the dry covered porch, and painted my daffodils as the rain pelted them.  Painting number 3365 in 3365 days. 

Daffodils

I wait all winter for these sunny daffodils to spring forth!  Greeting me with their cheerful yellow faces, they signal the first real signs of spring in my yard!  Only just emerging, this clump is the most abundant this far, so I am painting them with ink and watercolor on a miniature handmade paper.  I am painting small, 3.5x2.5 (ATC sized) to match my tiny painting window tonight.  The weather is so gorgeous, it is hard to stop to paint when I could be gardening.  But I did have to choose - paint in the dark after gardening, or paint right now?  You can see what I chose!  Painting number 3364 in 3364 days. 

 

47th and Nichols

What a lovely morning to paint at 47th and Nichols on the Country Club Plaza!  I was so happy to gather with artist friends again for an Urban Sketchers KC event with our sister city Seville, for a sketch exchange!  I was on the Plaza earlier this week to get in some early sketching. As one of the admins, we were all trying to do extra work, to be sure there is enough to exchange with the artists in Urban Sketchers Seville. For each artist who sends a painting (size 9x6), a painting will come to them from an artist in Seville, Spain.  How cool is that?  I've only just turned in my work, and I can hardly wait to receive my treasure!  I hope we do much more of this in the future - just imagine the international connections to artists of shared interests!  What a wonderful way to spread a little joy across the pond! Painting number 3363 in 3363 days. 

Whiskey Barrels

I love getting to paint these old whiskey barrels at J. Reiger's in Kansas City!  In the front lobby, there is a wonderful, museum-like display of historic items and facts about this place.  In the east bottoms of KC, I was completely unaware of this area.  There is a smattering of historic buildings here, leading to General Mills - another place I did not know was in KC!  How fun would it be to have a plein air event down here?  So very unique!  Painting number 3362 in 3362 days.  Can't wait to come back here with family!  

Fogo de Chao

I love getting an early start on this weekend's Urban Sketchers "Paint the Plaza" day.  The weather has been spectacular this week, so it has been a joy to sketch outside!  This building is another iconic stand out in the Country Club Plaza. I can't tell for sure from here, but it looks like the face of the clocks are also plaza images.  I'm always surprised by the details I see when I'm painting on location.  They are so much more apparent as I work.   The opposite is also true - sometimes there are big ugly things in my line of vision, and I don't see them at all as I paint.  I think there is a lot of "self-editing" going on in my head - without my knowledge! Love painting down here!  Painting number 3361 in 3361 days. ❤️🎨

Central and Nichols Rd

There was some construction going on down this road, so traffic was limited, street traffic, too.  This building has always caught my attention, but I don't think I've painted it before!  I started by sketching the big shapes, then tightening down on those fabulous moorish details.  I love taking the time to really notice all the craftsmanship that went into these buildings.  I think if that when something looks too complicated - I'm just drawing it, not building it!  Kansas City is very lucky to have the Country Club Plaza, there's no other place like it!  Painting number 3360 in 3360 days. 

Chuy's on the Plaza

I've gone out early to sketch for this weekend's #urbansketcherskc sketch exchange with #uskseville Spain!  We are trading an oversized postcard size - 9x6, so I thought the extra time would help with such complicated architecture.  Seville is Kansas City's sister city, so what better way than to celebrate Urban Sketch life than by trading work?  We did a similar thing with Mexico a few years ago, and I LOVE my sketches from there!  I also love that I can go to any city with a chapter, and meet up at their events while in town.  We're all one big family, after all.  And the bonus is that I love painting the Country Club Plaza!!  Painting number 3359 in 3359 days. 

J. Rieger and Co

I am always surprised to find a new place to paint - that I didn't even know existed!  I knew the company name as one of the places making hand sanitizers when Covid broke out.  But, I had no idea they would exist in a wonderful, historic building in amazing condition.  The equipment is glassed on all sides, and one can view from the lower or upper level from assorted seating.  The restaurant was closed today, but I want to return with family to enjoy this place.  There is a outdoor terrace area off the restaurant and a large bar upstairs, all keeping with the historic elegance of the place.  What a Kansas City treasure!  I used ink and watercolor to sketch out the very complicated scene, coming back in with more ink to accentuate the focal points, letting some of those pipes fade away in the background.  Wish I had all day to paint here! Painting number 3358 in 3358 days. 

Winter Milk Barn

With warmer temperatures expected, I had to get out early to capture the snow.  The ground is already warm and soft, so the snow doesn't have a chance!  I am studying the colors of the winter landscape, trying to see the subtle changes in hue and value, and pushing them a little.  I read a wonderful quote the other day that struck a chord, "A color without it's complement is dead."  So as I look at the masses, I'm looking for the complements, too.  Those little bits of opposing color add drama, sparkle and life to the scene. I can still smell the crisp air as I look at this.  Painting number 3357 in 3357 days. 

March Snow at the Barn

It is such a treat to paint snow in the landscape when the temperatures are up and the wind is still.  So very comfortable, compared to those frigid days.  I'm painting at the end of the golden hour, so the light is quickly fading. I'm using my 7x5 thumb box, perfect for a quick paint.  I love the rich darks of the shadows, and the warm light spreading through the pasture.  All is quiet and still, and my cares release into the atmosphere.  Creating truly is art therapy in motion.  Love this quiet time in nature.  Painting number 3356 in 3356 days. 

Farmhouse in the Snow

More snow overnight left a glistening blanket over the pastures.  Still overcast in the morning, I waited for the skies to clear and the temperature to rise.  At 48 degrees - I thought I'd better get out there, before that winter magic melts away.  Using my 7x5 thumb box pochade, I tucked 2 panels in the top and my paints below that shelf.  I use an Altoid tin for my palette in this box, and it needs refreshing before I use it again.  The paints seem to dry out faster here than in my other tin palettes with better seals.  We hiked first since Beau was full of energy, then he could spend his time "hunting" while I painted.  The ground is soft despite the snow, and I think he's sniffing out mice underground!  He loves playing in the snow - I don't think he'll ever outgrow it!  Painting number 3355 in 3355 days.