Sunflower Demo..

HI! Class on Saturday was fun. We painted sunflowers just cut from the beautiful garden. I never knew there were deep dark brown sunflowers. We did gesture drawings,pouring,and so much more. This is from one of the demonstrations I began..there. I painted a little on the sunflower today. I enjoyed meeting and seeing again Dory, Karen,Mary,Nancy,Sandra,Elizabeth and Peter.

 The next class will be on the masa technique and day lilies on Aug 25th.

 I planned to walk to the sunflower maze but I was tired and J. and I only got to the bridge. So we turned around and headed home,the last photo is from the view on the bridge(Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel).so beautiful isn't it!

 Tomorrow morning at the early,early hour of 8, the painters are coming to begin painting.. first is this room so I hope I'll be able to get to the computer but I may not, but I'll be talking to you soon..and I hope to hear from the puppy tomorrow. will let you know! Take care,Diana

Maplewood Gardens Paint Out and Class...and

HI! Yesterday I went with Monelle to the Maplewood Garden Eastern Shore Art League Paint Out. It was a lovely time. Phil invited us this year. His wife Barbara used to have us there,she passed away with cancer a few years ago and was very much missed. We all brought a food dish to serve--me--noodle salad.. and we painted around the pool and garden. I did the little pool house..it was fun just dabbling in watercolor and talking. We swam in the cool pool. (The water was cool..) Brenda declared she was a 3 noodle kind of girl as  we all took a brightly colored styrofoam noodle to float with. It was fun being with Grace,Monelle,Barbara S.,Gayle,Brenda,Dottie,Donna,Carol, Willie,Purube,and Sharon,and Phil came out to say hello. 

Today I'm getting my things organized for class tomorrow. I'm teaching Painting Sunflowers in Watercolor at Norfolk Botanical Gardens in Norfolk. I had to run down to the Smiling Dolphin in Nassawadox Va. to pick up some more yellow paint.. Jenny Floyd owns and runs this art and framing shop.

The first photo is of a painting I sketched at the beach of the star fish shells. I poured after the sketch and am now defining the shells.. better get the paper and things together before painting.

Talk to you soon. Enjoy your weekend, let me know what you are working on! Diana

Painting on the Beach during Vacation

HI, I'm back. The family went to the beach in Rodanthe,North Carolina. Remember the movie "Nights in Rodanthe" with Richard Geer, well the famous house from the movie was right behind us as we sat on the beach. I painted on the beach as much as I could. It was so beautiful. 
We:  Gathered sea shells,
        Walked on the beach,
        ate ice cream and Brooke's brownies
        read as many novels as we could
        played cards and corn hole
        relaxed in the sun
of course we all or most of us got some virus.. a stomach one. but for most of us it was over in 24 hours..and we were back at the beach..

We had a lovely time but it's always nice to get back home. Talk to you soon! Diana --some of my paintings on the beach, That is Indian Blanket a wildflower that was everywhere.--what do you think..

Let's Hope--

HI! I think it's finished. I added some metallic gold watercolor to  the left top "blossoms"of color and then a little around the full bloom. I want to keep it simple to show off the stargazer.(I'll take the blue tape off before I frame it! ha ha)

Well - I'm almost afraid to say but here goes. I called about another yellow Labrador Puppy today. I'd been in the Western Auto Store in Exmore over 2 months ago... and Jason, the young man who owns the store had his Chocolate Lab walking around the store.. You know me. I was rubbing the dog's ears, and talking to him while Jason finished up with his first customer..Then I got talking about my Daisy(trying not to cry) and he said he'd bred his dog for the first time recently. I called him. So the young(Chocolate) mama lab is pregnant,his is the father and he's going to hold a yellow one for me when  it's born around Aug. 1st. or so.  He knows from xrays there are 6 puppies at least she is carrying. So Let's Hope again.. dare I.. it hurt so much before.. but I will hope... and let you know

The Blue tape is 3M Scotch-Blue Painter's Tape. I just got it the other day--it doesn't want to stay in place well,but it does peel off easily.. not my favorite, but nice color!

Let me know what you think about the lily painting. talk to you soon,Diana

More Stargazer Lily

hi! I've worked on my new stargazer lily painting today. Here's some photos I took of the actual flower in the flower patch and Rudy asleep under the butterflies.. silly kitty she likes the hot weather.. but I think 98 degrees is a little too hot for me. Keep painting.. talk to you soon, Diana

Bad News

I just called Linda, the lady who raises labs. Her Mama dog had the puppies, one yellow--they were 2 weeks early and died except for a black one.  It's 2 weeks old..but she hadn't called because she was afraid something might happen to it.  We want a yellow one like Daisy. I'm so sorry for her Mama dog, she said she had a time and was so upset when they died..and for her and for us. I felt the yellow one was ours. Forgive me. I can't talk anymore now. love to you,Diana

Lily painting and we are expecting!

HI, I've had a class, gone to the grocery store and am back painting this lily. It's gorgeous. I want to put the bud and the partially open flower in the painting too. . The weather here is 97 degrees, so humid,hazy and hot. I'm inside at the art table. The squirrel had another peanut butter sandwich. He was looking at me this am as I walked out into the backyard.Wonder what the squirrel will think of our news..

   We are expecting.. a puppy. A family in Exmore,Va.(7 miles away) breed Labrador Retrievers. Her female is going to have puppies any day now. We have reserved a Yellow Lab. It will never be my Daisy- and I don't want it to--it needs to be itself.. I miss her so very much-- as you know but it will be good to have little paws clumping through the house. I'll let you know when it all happens and take photos when we go to pick it out. Take care and let me know what you think of the lily. talk to you soon, Diana

Tomato Painting

Happy Fourth of July!Here's my painting I was working on today. I still have to put the shadows and touch it up. I found a luna moth too. Have a wonderful  day tomorrow..talk to you soon,Diana

Butterfly House at NBG ,Class,Family

HI, Well I'm ready to put my feet up and rest! Ha ha.. Yesterday was my class over to Norfolk Botanical Gardens. It was so much fun. I had 3 students, Deb,Carol, and Dory and we studied waterbirds.I did a demonstration of drawing and painting a heron on a pour. It was a full day of painting and fun.

 After class I walked over to the butterfly house, it was awesome. So many butterflies and  the chrysalis(some actually looked like jade with gold markings) were gorgeous. The flowers were so amazing, too, in there, as well as walking back to the car.The photos above I took inside the Butterfly House!

 My son and his girlfriend came for the weekend. We ate out last night, thank goodness, I was so tired.  Classes and shows always take a lot of energy for me. I enjoy them and have a great time -- but when I'm finished it's rest up time! :)  The kids have just gone back. I miss them already!

 I did sketch a bee balm from my flowers this am.  I may paint some bee balm, love all the hot pink petals. Talk to you soon, enjoy the rest of your weekend, and stay as cool as you can. It's steamy here! Diana

I love to hear from you, thank you for your comments!