Seeing Dots

hi, I've been painting these butterflies all afternoon. Needless to say I'm seeing dots! ha ha.. just kidding.. (I do paint around the dots though and don't use white paint unless it's an emergency.. which sometimes happens) talk to you soon, Diana

Painting Butterflies

HI, Well most of this weekend I've been painting little mini Eastern Shore landscapes..now today I've started a new painting of butterflies.It will be two Monarchs and a Tiger swallow tail with a vine. I will go out and pick some tomorrow.I know what I want-- the red/orange trumpet vine and I have one growing in the backyard. I'll have that coming down the other side of the painting,plus I need to tighten my butterfly drawings a bit. I'm looking forward to painting them although they take lots of time.. I hope to have this ready for the Red Queen Opening!

A sad note.. The Bear and Cub Coffee Shoppe closed on Saturday for good. It was a lovely place of warmth,good friendship and lovely coffee. I went by Saturday and had one last cup of Hog Island Coffee with them. I'll miss that wonderful place as I know so many will.

Hope you had a nice holiday weekend. talk to you soon,Diana

On to a new painting!

Hi, I just finished my peony painting. Let me know what you think! It got rather involved with the leaves but I'm pleased with it.

I'm ready to work on something else now. I took some photos this week of places on the Eastern Shore the first one is in Belle Haven,Va. and the other in Onancock,Va. I want to have 4 or 5 little ES minis for the show as well as many more watercolors at the Red Queen Gallery! Maybe one of these for a mini...

Hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend! take care, Diana

Painting Peonies

Hi, a busy day. I had errands first thing this morning which included taking paintings up to the Hermitage to display with the Eastern Shore Art League. When I got back home I've been working on my new peony painting. I've still more to do but it's coming!

It's starting to warm up here.. in the 80's and the humidity has gone up. We jump right into summer it seems.. Here are my painting buddies today! take care, Diana

Checkerboard Cherries & Art Show Tomorrow

Hi, Today I have some framing to do but I'm putting it off until later.. ha ha.. I started a new little painting yesterday of cherries. I had to do errands and grocery shopping was one of them yesterday and found these gorgeous cherries. The hardest part of painting these was not eating them until I have them painted!! I painted on the porch yesterday. This morning I haven't gotten out there I'm still at my art table. It's going to be a gorgeous sunny day. First I drew my squares, then I drew my cherries with their shadows. I painted the cherries first and now am doing the grid.I will punch up the colors of the cherries if need be. I want them Bright! Tomorrow is the Art and Garden Show on 35367 Cove Lane, Belle Haven, Va. A small local show with food,music and local artists. I'll be there with my watercolors.. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and if you can come to the show!! Take care, Diana

Beginning Peony Painting

HI, well, yesterday late in the day, I finished my "Sunflowers and Gran's Watering Pot". This watercolor will be in my show at The Red Queen Gallery. Gertraude Fendler,a wonderful photographer and I will be the 2 woman show on 2nd Friday in June. The Red Queen is on Main St. in Onancock,Va. It's a lovely gallery.

So today I started my peony painting. I've started negative painting around a light pink one and it will have 2 burgundy peonies with a hummingbird.The painting is still developing.It might have another peony? I was sitting on the back porch painting today.Daisy and Rudy-our 15 year old kitty-were with me. The hummingbirds were zooming in and out.

We've had some rain which we desperately needed and more is expected tonight.I'm trying to get ready for the show on Sunday at the Ashby Garden in Belle Haven. This will be from 2pm-5pm and they still want artists to call and come display their work! take care and talk to you soon, Diana

Flower Patch

Hi, It's been a nice Saturday. My husband talked me into walking. He exercises everyday and I truly admire and see the good in that, but I'm not an exercise person, so he tries to encourage me and I did walk today. I walked down a country road here,trees on both sides of the road, and it was peaceful and nice.

This afternoon,I've added thalo blue to my watercolor in stripes behind the flowers.This is different for me. I stopped just now as I was beginning to overwork it and I need to take a break and look at it awhile.

I walked around the yard and took some photos of a tiger swallowtail butterfly on my orange blossom. That smells so sweet!!These peonies were from a friend of mine and the little flower patch is near our front door, it gives me a lot of pleasure. I can see it out my studio window! Well enjoy your weekend,I'm having an iced hazelnut coffee.. have one! talk to you soon, Diana

Where, Oh Where, Did It GO?

HI, I just checked my blog and I was missing a post? I checked some blogs who kindly show my blog on their blog list and there was the missing post. When I clicked on it,it said the post did not exist. Where did it go?? I have no clue, I guess it's floating around in cyberspace... I know it's Friday the 13th , but strange... ah well..

On to this post,I have included a photo of the iris I had posted in the missing post.(I had such nice comments too, thanks)--sorry I'm still grumbling. This is the peach iris.

I've started a new painting of sunflowers(from photos) and this old watering pot, Gran gave it to me years ago.. I sketched it yesterday sitting on my back porch with Daisy nearby.( Daisy hasn't felt good for two days.-- She is acting tired and hurtful.) I'm using some of Daniel Smiths paints for the old watering pot.. Luna Blue. This paint is granulated which is fun. I may put a bright blue area behind the pot to pop out the sunflowers. I'm still pondering that..

So have a great weekend and let me know if you find that post-- ha ha.. take care, Diana

Peach Iris

I've been working on my peach iris.. after looking at it that night I decided I really didn't like the way it was headed... so I cropped it.. and put a very dark background of viridian green, ultramarine blue,and sepia. Wet the background and then I slathered it on,cutting close to the iris with my flat brush. I also added a bud. I love the buds.. so graceful. Forgive the raw edge of the painting.. I'll trim that.. as you can see it's still wet and I haven't signed it either..

Question? Do you think the mat cuts too much of the flower??thanks, talk to you soon, Diana

Blooms to Paint!!

HI! Today I painted outside again. I am painting Gran's peach irises, they are so beautiful.

I've been so fortunate. Lois called and let me take 50 photos of her peonies this weekend. They are magnificent. Burgundy, white, pink, irises too and I was just blown away by all the amazing flowers,then my mother shared her white peonies and I have Gran's purple and peach irises. I didn't know which to paint. But I decided I had better go with the fresh ones and wait on the photos, so many choices!!

Isn't it wonderful to have so many gorgeous flowers to paint at this time of year. The orange blossoms in my backyard are blooming and when we sit on the back porch all I can smell is sweet mock orange.

Needless to say the hummingbirds zoom through the porch so fast... right in front of my nose and Daisy's!! take care and enjoy painting. talk to you soon,Diana

Iris, Class, and Happy Mothers Day

hi,I had a small class today at The Bear and Cub Coffee Shoppe. We painted Gran's Iris, I went over to her house this morning early and broke some. They are so gorgeous and smell like cinnamon and spring!!For the class today, I went over different washes, composition briefly, painting flowers, drawing flowers, mixing colors, all in a morning class.It was busy and they did beautifully.

I came home and put my finishing touches on my hummingbird, using the iridescent watercolor on the hummer.

This is my paint box. My grandfather,Jack, was a carpenter and artist. He made it.It's a real treasure to me.I hope you all have a wonderful Mothers' Day. talk to you soon,Diana

Stage Door Opening and Hummer Wings in Motion

hi! The Stage Door Gallery is having an opening this Saturday at 6pm.,so today was exchange painting/artwork day. I took down 4 new paintings which will be in their opening. Anne Bois and Mary Ann Clarke are the featured artists this time.Anne is known for her soft acrylic paintings especially of people,and Mary Ann especially for her lovely masa and watercolor technique of flowers.

On my return trip, I took some new reference photos of Cape Charles, Nassawadox and Willis Wharf. Pictured is a lovely photo of a wonderful tiny garden at Rayfield's Pharmacy in Nassawadox. It always is so lovely and peaceful.

After I got home Daisy and I painted a very few minutes on the back porch, hoping for some hummingbirds to zoom by so I could see their wings in motion. The little ones were avoiding me! ha, when I came in there they are!!! I've painted the hummingbird wings wet in wet to capture the motion. I have put the watercolor on an easel so I can look at it tonight. Seeing it when I'm doing other things helps me see mistakes and get ideas for what to darken...-- of course this can lead me to take the painting and work on it when I should be fixing dinner...Talk to you soon,Diana

Geranium Watercolor

hi, I'm working on the geranium watercolor now. I've got my green leaves drawn in and the top of the clay pot. I want to use some negative painting so these leaves will retain some of the background color. I haven't drawn my hummingbird yet. It will be in the left hand corner facing/flying up toward the large bloom. Hope you are having a nice weekend! talk to you soon,Diana