Fall colors reflected

This is the first wash with some of my reference photos on the gatorboard.  Just blocking in the initial shapes here and trying VERY hard not to put in any detail.  Also, I am trying to merge shapes where possible and reminding myself that there will need to be lost edges.









A closer look at the initial washes all scribbly and casual - yeah!

















Second pass with pastels, trying to lose some edges.  I am putting the darkest values underneath each area so when I 'turn on the lights' in the next pass these darker values will show through.














Final painting, I think....still studying this. There may be too much energy in the foreground which competes with my intended center of interest, the vine maple in it's fall colors.  Amazing how strong that ghost tree in the background turned out to be, may need to darken it and make it less straight.  This painting just won an honorable mention at the Sequim Arts annual juried show...not too bad, I get to buy more art supplies!

Pastel over watercolor

This is the first wash of watercolor. I am trying to lay down the "underneath" colors of the stone, grass, trees and path.

Here is the completed painting, with a second, more detailed layer of watercolor and some spare applications of pastel. I love this old abbey in St. Remy de Provence.  It's where Van Gogh stayed in 1889 after he was released from the hospital in Arles.  Here he painted 150 works of the gardens and grounds of the asylum.  I'm no Van Gogh, but I enjoyed the surreal experience of painting what he painted. 

Across from Angel's farm

I have decided that an art blog is the best way to show my latest artwork.  Some will be finished paintings like this one entitled Across From Angel's Farm (from the collection of Rick and Paulette Hill) others will be works in progress showing the watercolor underpainting and then the pastel overpainting.  Since we are snowed in, I hope to have lots to post over the next few weeks! Please feel free to add a comment.

first snow and another 'building'

Any day now the new high tunnel kit should be arriving from Farmtek...then the fun of "construction" begins...I just hope the ground won't be too frozen to pound the metal posts into the soil.

We will be planting 1,000 ranunculus bulbs in December and January to have gorgeous blooms next spring in time for Mother's Day!

seeking seeds

I found a seed co. online (http://www.gardentrails.com/) that offers Celosia Supercrest Blend, Blue alyssum, variagated bachelor buttons, and an antique variety of monarda that is light yellow with large pink bracts - sounds wonderful! My flower piggy is wild eyed with catalogs and online shopping this time of year!

Trying out a new photo for the facebook page for The Cutting Garden a Wedding and Event Venue (I know, long title)