#4/30in30 - "Gardenia"

"Gardenia" 5"x7", watercolor

One of my favorite flowers - they smell even better than they look!  I almost missed the season when we took our Grand Canyon vacation, but I did manage to get a photo or two this year!

#3/30 I 30 - "Cherries"

"Cherries" 5"x7" watercolor

Lazy Sunday, rainy this afternoon, got some shelving for the garage, which the hubs put together while I worked on this!  Didn't even realize he had gone out to work on it until he came to get just as I was snapping this photo!  Love the pale pink of these flowers when they emerge in the early spring!

#2/30 in 30 - "Magnolia"

"Magnolia," 5"x7", watercolor

Tried to start this one yesterday, but couldn't get it finished.  White flowers are hard...
Trying to get back in the groove of painting every day, I need to be much more organized to be able to!

#1/30in30 - "Pitchers"

"Pitchers" 5'x7" watercolor

It's been so hard to paint lately with school starting back.  And this illness, I called it a bad cold, but it really was more flu-like.  Now I have lingering chest pain when I breathe that I can almost control if I take ibuprofen around the clock.  I'm so exhausted all the time.  But at least I got these done!

Day 24 - "Sweet Cheeks"

"Sweet Cheeks" 7"x5" watercolor

This was a quick sketch of another friend's child.  I was trying to keep it very loose and gestural, while still getting the essence of those sweet cheeks!  I think this might make a nice acrylic on panel painting in the future.

Day 22 - "Jazzy"

"Jazzy" 7"x5" watercolor

Waiting on a delivery on Friday afternoon, I thought I'd do a quick painting.  I had intended to do a flower, but the photo of this little girl popped up.  I had planned to do her sometime so I figured, "Why not?"  

Got her sketched and mostly painted before my delivery came!

Day 20 - Peeking Out

Another late evening, continuing the sunflower theme.  I had intended to just sketch four flowers, but after I sketch the first, I just had to slap some paint on it.  I think it needs some punchier darks, but that's all I have tonight...

Day 18 - "Frenzy"

"Frenzy" 7"x5" watercolor

Behind again, thus the title of this little painting!  Eye doctor today, eyes dilated, not quite back to normal, but I had to paint!  Maybe next time I paint this flower, I'll sketch it first!  From my Mom's Thanksgiving flowers!

Day 16 - "Sunset Blue 2"

"Sunset Blue 2", 11"x30", acrylic on gessoed watercolor paper

Worked on another larger format painting yesterday.  It's hard to photograph these, they are on gessoed watercolor paper, so I can't just prop it up to photograph.  I like the texture of this surface, but it's taking some getting used to.  Using acrylic paints, I have work pretty fast to do the blending.  I tried adding a touch of flow medium to loosen it up, and that helped some, I may try some of the slow drying medium next time.  I still haven't quite figured out how I will frame these!

Day 13 - "Sunset Blue"

"Sunset Blue", 5"x7", watercolor

Missed a couple of days because school started back, so I'm trying to get at least one done tonight.  Loved the photo I took of this heron taking flight late in the evening, I could just barely see the lights and darks of his body.  More of him soon.

Day 10 - Marsh Solitude 2

"Marsh Solitude 2", 30"X11"
acrylic on paper

I know this is an odd size for me, but I had all day, and I experimented!  This one is a half sheet of watercolor paper torn lengthwise, so it is 30" tall and 11" wide!  I started by gessoing the entire sheet last night, so it could dry all night.  Then I tore it in half and tried to figure out how I was going to paint on it.  Ended up just laying it flat.  The textured gesso really grabbed the paint, so there is quite a bit on there!  I hung it up to dry overnight, and I'll look at it in the morning to try to figure out how to mount it.  Still haven't decided that part yet!

Day 9 - Ms. Redbird 2

"Ms. Redbird 2", 5"x7" watercolor

Finally found a good photo of the lady cardinal, and quickly dashed this out.  I was also working on a much larger painting of one of the egrets I did this week, which I will share tomorrow!

Day 8 - "Ms. Redbird"

"Ms. Redbird" 7"x5" watercolor

The Cardinal is the state bird of my home state, North Carolina, so I always enjoy seeing them come to visit, it reminds me of home.  This one was hanging out at the feeder last weekend and was so feisty, she was chasing all the other birds away, even challenging the larger red-wing blackbirds.  She got plenty, and kept coming back for more!
It was a very overcast day when I took the reference photos, she was a very dull olive, with just hints of red, but had the most amazing crest!

Day 7 - Great Egret 2

"Great Egret 2" 7"x5" watercolor

Same bird, different pose.  This one looks a bit washed out.  It amazes me how these birds can curve those loooong necks around!

Day 6 - Great Egret

"Great Egret" 7"x5" watercolor

Whites are always a challenge, because it's difficult to describe the form with little color, few shadows or highlights.  This guy had very little color, so I exaggerated the little that he did have and made up the rest.  It helps that he has a colorful background!

Day 5 - Bayside Blue #3

Bayside Blue #3, 7"x5" watercolor

Boy, when I decide to do a series... Oh well, maybe I'll get a few more of these guys painted!  Still looking at and working on the proportions of those very long legs...

Day 4 - "Bayside Blue #2"

Bayside Blue #2, 7"x5" watercolor

Another bird from the Bay!  I love seeing these guys on my pier, and am amazed at their stealth when fishing.  When they fly away, they honk!
These small paintings are a warm-up for some larger bird paintings in my very near future!

Day 3 - "Bayside Blue"

"Bayside Blue" 7"x5" watercolor

I wanted to focus on some of the wildlife I have photographed at our home at the edge of a brackish bay.  When we bought the home, the home inspector remarked that this area was a major flyway for many bird species.  We see Blue Herons fairly regularly, but we are always excited when we see these big guys on our pier (which is broken, but still a great place for birds to perch!).
I hope to share many of these birds, other wildlife, and flowers in the month to come through these paintings.
Enjoy!
Online auction:   http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/491468

Day 1 - "Here, Kitty!"

Here, Kitty! 14"x11", acrylic on stretched canvas

Yes, I did it again, signed up for the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.  Then I got this commission.  And I got a bug.  A serious, no-holds-barred cleaning bug.  ACK!  But I managed to get this one done on January 1st (she still needs her whiskers!), but I really wanted to concentrate on birds and more flowers this month.  I have done no pre-sketching this time.  And my house still needs some serious cleaning.  And... I return to my other life on Monday.  I really want to do the challenge, but I have other life things that keep popping up.  We'll see how this goes!