Hummers 1 and 2

 I started my day yesterday sitting on my back porch taking in the bit of coolness in the air and writing my usual morning pages.  I became engrossed in watching the hummingbirds zoom in and out as they sipped from the feeders my husband so diligently fills. I had thought to get back to a painting I had started a few weeks back. Instead I grabbed my sketch pad and camera and went back outside! I did quick partial sketches, trying to catch the essential forms, keeping my eyes on the birds and not even looking at my pad.  Then I went inside to my studio and painted without drawing, while looking at photos and trying to capture the movement, rather than detail. Here are my first attempts at watercolor impressions of the hummers.  It has been a delightful two days studying and painting the changing forms and colors produced by the quick movements of these little birds!

A Fresh Mess

On Friday I revisited Linda Neuenschwander's watercolor class that I used to paint with every week.  Everyone selected a photo from one of 3 envelopes, marked "Landscapes," "Still Life," or "Flowers."  I drew blindly from the flower envelope.  After a brief demonstration, we all began to paint.  We were instructed to draw inspiration from the photo, and not to try to replicate it.  It was interesting to see the many different styles and interpretations produced by this exercise.  I am posting my attempts at capturing the freshness of a large single peony.  I was not satisfied with my painting and after I got home I lifted some of the purple in the background and painted over it with yellow and blue, which I think created a bit of a muddy mess. Every painting is a learning experience, and this one was for sure!

Rose Joy

I started this one with the background, painting around the flower and trying to work all the areas at the same time, in a workshop with Rae Andrews this spring.  The rose bud was from a photo that begged to be painted.  Allowing the breathing space around parts of the flower seemed to help achieve the feeling of joy spilling forth.

This painting and 16 others are on display at my current exhibit in Bastrop, Texas.  First Friday is a fun event in which many different artists are featured in shops and galleries in an Art Walk along historic Main Street.  See the sidebar for details.  Hope to see some of you there!

Stargazer Mystery

I started this painting with the actual flowers right in front of me, at the same time as the stargazer painting a few posts back. The unfinished painting sat on the shelf after we returned from California until I was able to put my attention on it again.  I knew I wanted to show both mystery and excitement in the way the one very gorgeous flower was peeking out from behind the other.  So I grappled with what to leave in and what to leave out in order to achieve this, eventually striking the balance I was aiming for.  Oh the thrill of trying to create what is in the mind's eye!