Monday, March 18, 2024

Pansies


I brought these pansies into the back porch to protect them from the hard freeze - and today, my reward is to paint them! I first sketched this out with India ink, then filled in with watercolor.  Next, I used a purple fountain pen ink for depth in the purple, then a dark blue for the background.  The purple moved especially nice with water, but is have to look in my records to see just which ink it is. That TWSBI fountain pen is one of my favorite styles of TWSBIs!  Painting number 4984 in 4984 days. 

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Viola!


I just potted these sweet violas and I HAD to paint them!  I love those delicate blooms with their sunny faces!  I have a few of my kitchen herbs in the sunny back porch, and this viola makes a fragrant splash of color.  I have another planted in the front garden, and several pansies as well.  Spring is so full of beauty, I can hardly get it all painted before the next blooms draw my attention!  Painting number 4982 in 4982 days. 

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Mini Daffs


I LOVE sketching daffodils to the music of birdsong!  It has been such a mild March, all the birds are singing their spring songs and building nests in all the houses!  It's such a beautiful time of year for gardening and painting in between duties. Painting number 4979 in 4979 days. 

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Coffee House Garden


I loved finding this new "coffee house" garden to paint at Family Tree Nursery!  It was so fun to meet artist friends here to paint, and lovely to have Michaela and the little ones here to visit and pick out new plants!  It is always wonderful to return to my old stomping grounds for sketch time.  Painting number 4978 in 4978 days. 

Monday, March 11, 2024

Pink Flamingo Garden



It was super fun to meet artist friends and my youngest daughter with her two little ones at Family Tree Nursery today in Overland Park. This vivid pink slice of color is part of their Barbie Garden, ready for this weekend's open house!  I couldn't possibly resist painting it as Casper looked on adoringly at the smallest pink flamingo.  Painting number 4977 in 4977 days! 



 

Saturday, March 9, 2024

Evening Daffodils


 

Some days I don't get a chance to paint until nightfall.  I love to have these beauties waiting for me just outside the door, when I do finally come to my easel.  This day has been full of activities, with kids and grandkids.  From tractor rides to cellar duties, too reorganizing a couple of rooms, I hardly know which way is up.  So a little art therapy is in order, and a fragrant foot and hand soak awaits as I finally close down this day. Painting number 4975 in 4975 days. 

Friday, March 8, 2024

White Daffodils


These daffodils are normally my first to bloom, but this year they are trailing behind a few others.  I have planted this variety by the windmill and down by the road, and each year they harken in spring.  It's so exciting to see these beauties again!  I'm happy to get them painted after my first Pickle Ball game ever with my high school friends! Painting number 4974 in 4974 days. 

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Daffodil


Oh, how I love these days full of daffodils!  Each day, many more blooms open up, and I can hardly wait to paint them!  With only a little window within the rain to paint, I am painting in miniature for this one.  It is ATC sized at 2.5x3.5, and a joy to paint on a very busy day!  Painting number 4973 in 4973 days.  

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Daffodil Dreams


 

I have SO MANY daffodils opening up!  I hope I can get them all painted before they fade!!  Painting number 4972 in 4972 days. 

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Cheerful Blooms


These first blooms of spring are SO inspiring, especially in their sunny yellow dress!  My days have been full of gardening, and this is my sweet reward when I get a chance to paint!  I do so love painting spring!  Painting number 4971 in 4971 days. 

Saturday, March 2, 2024


I love squeezing a miniature painting into a full day of gardening - especially early in March!  What beautiful weather to be outside all day!  It was nearly 80 degrees today in the KC area - so much for March coming in like a lion.  I took full advantage of this day, tending to beds and transplanting some lilies and peonies that I accidently disturbed while removing a small tree. These daffodils are only the first of many more to come, and I can hardly wait to paint them all!  Painting number 4970 in 4970 days. 

Friday, March 1, 2024

Lantana


 It is a joy to paint what I plant - and this lantana was a clipping from seed that self sowed in one of my hanging baskets.  I pushed it into the net cup and now it is beginning to bloom in my Gardyn. I hope it trails all over the place!  Painting number  4069 in 4069 days. 

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Overland Park Clock Tower


I love meeting artist friends in my hometown to paint the historic area.  This clock tower is an icon of downtown Overland Park, and this time in painting it from down the street.  My daughter and her family came to Thompson Park for some play time on this gorgeous day, so I painted from the edge of the park while waiting for her to arrive.  It's so fun to sketch down memory lane!  Painting number 4068 in 4068 days.  It looks like some of my postings have not actually posted - I guess I'll have to go back and fill in when I've got plenty of extra time.  Silly technology. 

Monday, February 26, 2024

Overland Park Water Tower


What a fabulous and warm February day for painting!  With record breaking temps in the upper 70s, it was sheer joy to paint slices of my childhood today. This is my old stomping grounds, and I have a fondness for this historic water tower, while so many new apartments pop up around it.  Michaela and her family met me at Thompsons Park, where the little ones had a blast playing at the playground.  What a lovely way to spend the day!  Painting number 4064 in 4064 days. 

Sunday, February 25, 2024

Play Ball


What a great opportunity to sketch at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum at historic 18th and Vine!  This was our destination for our monthly Urban Sketchers KC event - and we had a great turnout!  I love meeting artist friends for these two hour sketch-outs, and today I did more talking than sketching, lol.  The Jazz Museum here was also super cool and I must bring the family back to visit it, too.  Painting number 4063 in 4063 days. 

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Spring Waters


Meramec Spring is one of my favorite places to paint, and is beautiful in every season.  The blue water steals the show as it quickly passes through, and my oils are the perfect medium to describe the motion.  I could paint for days on end here - if only I had the time. Painting number 4060 in 4060 days.

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Orchid Joy


 It is so rewarding each time an orchid blooms in profusion!  With my pen, I add the line work, following with watercolor.  For this sketch I also went back in with ink of similar colors to punch the value a bit. I wonder how these beauties would like a hydronic set up - but so far I've not had time to try it.  Painting number 4059 in 4059 days. 

Monday, February 19, 2024

Cascading Petunias


I planted the seeds to this cascading petunia in December 2022 in my new Aerogarden, a gift from my girls.  It has bloomed abundantly for these last 14 months!  I keep it pruned when it gets too leggy, and it keeps sending forth blooms!  I am finally getting around to painting it with ink and watercolor. Painting number 4058 in 4058 days. 

Sunday, February 18, 2024

47th Street


 I love painting the street scenes of the Country Club Plaza, where I have so many fun memories with friends and family!  With so many places to shop and dine, I've spent many happy hours in this place.  I could never have guessed that I would once love painting it so much as an adult!  Painting number 4057 in 4057 days. 

Saturday, February 17, 2024

By the River


There is so much beauty in the world, and it is my daily pleasure to  try to do it justice with paint. This day was full of family as we watched grandchildren and spent time with daughters and a son and son-in-law, too.  Mike is helping the grandsons get ready for TSA competitions in April, so the kitchen has turned to a workshop.  The cold temps have preserved the snow for another day, and so I paint, knowing we might not get another snow.  Each painting is colored with my day's experience, so this one glows a bit with the anticipated golden hour. Every day is a gift, and this day was full of many of them. Painting number 4056 in 4056 days.