#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 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...

Poppy Mood

Sometimes, I can't sleep.  Last night was one of those nights.  I finally got up and wandered into the room where I keep my paints and gazed at the messy painting I did last weekend of pink flowers, and I couldn't wait to pick up my brushes again.  I got a bit messy and splattery, but when I I was finished, I was ready to try sleeping again, which finally came to me about 3am.  This one is bright and cheerful, with its five shades of red in each flower!

14"X11", watercolor on 140# paper

Joyful Noise

I really cut loose with this one, they are very fanciful poppies!  I had fun doing this one, and going back and adding a deeper background, with the suggestion of more poppy buds and pods, then multicolored splatters all over.  This one just made me happy!

14"X11", watercolor on 140# paper

Pink Poppy

I started this one after i took the cold medicine!  It was supposed to be loose, alas, it went toward the tight side.  Maybe next time...

Pink Poppy, 7"x5". Watercolor on 140# paper

Blue Period

Been sick with a yucky cold for several days, but finally picked up a paint brush tonight to try to paint something loose.  This was my second attempt - the first looked like pink blobs.  This one is a little better.  

9"x6"' watercolor on 140# hot press paper

#9/30 in 30 - Althea (2)

Nearing the finish line on this one, and it's the only thing I worked on this evening.  Trying to finish before the WSA show deadline!

16"x22", watercolor on paper

#7/30 in 30 - Frilly Hibiscus

This hibiscus was too frilly and too peachy, and, well, crazy.  I'm done.

5"x7", watercolor on 140# paper

#6/30 in 30 - Campus Camellia #2

Found some 5" x7" paper already cut and taped down, so I attempted this very frilly camellia that I photographed today.  The painting just comes nowhere close to the intensity of the deep watermelon pink-red!

5"x7", watercolor on 140# paper

#5/30 in 30 - Althea

It's not quite finished yet - but it's the only thing I worked on today, so it is today's entry.  It still has a way to go, but not tonight.  I like it better now than I did when I first started, but still doesn't feel as fresh as I wish it did.  Maybe I will experiment with it again after I finish this version!

16"x22", watercolor on 140# paper.

Cactus Flower

 I took a few days off after the 30-in-30 challenge, but now I'm back to it!  I just needed something loose and fun today.  Did this during my lunch break, but I'm happy with it for being so quick.  It's based on a photo from a cactus flower in Arizona.  I may try a larger version later!

7"x5", watercolor on paper

Day 29 - Crossvine

These vines are supposed to be hummingbird magnets, but I haven't seen that myself.  The flowers just glow at the edge of the woods, though!  Got the reference photo just the other day, and the flowers were so striking that I couldn't wait to paint them.

7"x5", Watercolor on 140# paper.

Day 28 - Japanese Magnolia

You knew I couldn't wait to punch up some color - this time with a pale lavender flower that comes early in the spring.  When these trees bloom, the whole tree is covered in these pale pinky-purpley flowers, and no leaves.  Then the petals fall as the pale green leaves emerge.

5"x7", Watercolor on 140# paper

Day 27 - Coreopsis

These little guys came back this year after spending a very cold winter in a planter in my garage, so I rewarded them with their own portrait!  

5"x7", Watercolor on 140# paper.

Day 26 - Purple Althea

This is the one-hour version of a flower I did earlier this summer while the bush was in full-bloom. The plant is also called Rose-of-Sharon, but it's not a rose - it's in the Hibiscus family!  I really liked the drama of this particular flower, as it was being back-lit by the morning sun.

5"x7", Watercolor on 140# paper.

Day 25 - White Cosmos

White flowers are such a challenge!  How to give them a subtle personality along with shadows and light, without overdoing it?  This Cosmos was stark white, but I went back with a faint pink wash to some parts, but I don't think I got the shadow quite right.  I may go back and fiddle with it again...

5" x7", Watercolor on 140# paper

Day 24 - Pink Lady Slipper

I really love this flower!  This one is special because my husband took the photo when we visited Spruce Pine, NC a few years ago.  He spotted it near the parking lot of a tourist attraction and was able to get a few pictures of a clump of about six flowers - he said they were too out in the open to have occurred naturally!  It is difficult to capture the delicate nature of the lady slipper, I think I went a little too purple and dramatic, but that's one more done!

7"x5", Watercolor on 140# paper.