Day lily Watercolor

Day lily 8x10 original 

Painting flower

Orchid from Norfolk Botanical Garden after class.

Hi  , class at Norfolk Botanical Garden was lovely. Ten students did a great job. Today we are having the end of a northeastern storm. Windy  now and cold, the sun is trying to peak out. I finished my little day lily this afternoon. Sadie, our Labrador has napped in bed during the storm.   John just got home, we are having  leftovers for supper. Better get them warming, love to you, Diana

Painting Dragons ,Tram ride with Friends

hi  eveyone.  Yesterday  I taught at Norfolk Botanical Garden.  They Are having a special exhibit, Lantern Asia, this display is made mostly of silk. We painted  dragons,elephants and butterflies from this. I demonstrated how to draw the dragons and elephants. It was fun and very different from our usual subjects.  After class 6 of us went on the tram ride around the display. We saw Cedar Waxwings eating holly berries, tulip trees, camellias as well as the wonderful dragon and Lantern Asia.

I was in the city so I took advantage of it and stopped into McDonald's Garden Center, wow, they were having an open house and so many people, dogs and flowers in one place. I loved on a yellow lab puppy there,naturally and then came home with orchids.. 2 for gifts, ok and one for me..they were gorgeous.   I needed some spring.

Today is our Craddockville Church Revival, I am making brownies. Soup,subs and then a beautiful service. Three nights... come.

Wishing everyone a beautiful Sunday, love to each of you. Diana 

New painting wip and Sadie after surgery

Orchids on Masa Class

Watercolor Class at NBG yesterday.

More of the class

One of the amazing orchids.

Another one.

HI, Wow, Oh I wish you could have seen those orchids. Even if you aren't a flower person, they were outstanding. We had 6 orchids in our class to paint from.  I demonstrated how to use the masa, then they did this, we did lots of washes and exercises some with Brusho Art Crystals. Then they chose an orchid to paint from and drew it and painted it on the masa paper I had prepared  the paper last week at home. It takes a day for the paper to dry so that we can paint on it. Oh it was gorgeous. The little crevices that the masa made in the paper created the most wonderful background for the orchids. I was so proud of what they painted...we were so busy I didn't get enough photos of all of the students. After class I went to the gift shop and the Tropical House with Renee and Raina.. go if you can, the orchids were amazing. There are chairs inside to just sit and gaze at them. I took 43 photos. So I have lots to paint from, I want to do a large one on the masa.

Hope you are having a warm weekend. It's in the 40's here. Sun is shining. My back is not good but-- just take your advil and enjoy the photos and the good time from yesterday--and read a good book with hot coffee... Love to you all,Diana

I have photos of some more orchids on Facebook.  Check it out Diana M.Davis Watercolor!!! please like the page! if you do.. thanks

Hellebore Art Class and Tropical Display of Orchids!

Here is my class on Saturday at Norfolk Botanical Garden.

I had a big class with 11, all busy here working on their Hellebores watercolor.

Tropical House was displaying orchids.. Oh Gosh I was overwhelmed..

orchids and palm trees.. amazing

HI, I had my class Saturday at Norfolk Botanical Garden. We painted Hellebores ( Lenten Roses) and Crocus. Two separate paintings. We did different washes as a warm up and I showed them how to draw and paint the two flowers and then painted.. We had some from the garden to go by,gorgeous. After class I usually come straight home as I"m wiped out, exhausted, and my back ,well as you know, isn't so great, however this time I went over to the Tropical House with Kathy,one of my students and she showed it to me. It was outstanding.. I was in heaven... such gorgeous orchids,palm trees, and begonias.. I took 48 photos.. wish I could have stayed longer but had to get home.

Now here it is Monday and I have to have a painting for the show on Saturday.  I haven't started it yet.. Will it be orchids or Hellebore? I can't decide.. ha ha.. Want to get started soon. I will .. sipping my coffee with Sadie,my dear lab, at my feet.. Love to each of you! Diana

Happy Valentines Day!

Hi, I've been painting and have finished my Orchids watercolor just now. I may add one little brush stroke or two to the top of the left side larger white petal,just at the top to define it more. I can see it fine but once I put it here.. it is  hard to see it from the white of the background.

Heard from the Puppy! Sarah the mother dog is getting even larger. Kendra, her owner said her dear belly is only 4 inches from the floor. The earliest we can hear the puppies are born will be Feb. 22.. Can you believe it..!! We'll actually have a dear puppy soon! 

Wishing you a wonderful Valentines!! I've thought of course of my Daisy,my yellow lab, today. One day when she was a puppy, John was standing by the door holding her in his arms as I was leaving to go to the grocery store.  I kissed Daisy and walked out the door and realized.. "Oops" I forgot to kiss John, so back I go to kiss him. He declared it was always like that.. :)  ha ha..The dear man gave me roses!!! I was so tickled so I'm going to fix some nice coffee and go paint roses. I got him a steak to fix for supper.

love to you and Happy Valentines Day! Diana   

First Whippoorwill Sings and Orchid Blooms

My orchid is in full bloom. Amazing isn't it. 12 blooms.... and I hear the first whippoorwill-- yes-- right this very minute singing in the woods. So amazingly beautiful.. this week has been way too busy with blasted machines.. I need this moment of beauty.

Take care,Diana

Jealous of An Orchid

Yes, it's Dusty. You see, all afternoon I have sketched these gorgeous orchids,( my husband brought me for Valentines.) I was sketching and everytime I put my hand down a pink nose would poke me and a wiggly body would press up against my knee to tell me she was much more important than those silly long things.. Dusty checked them out as I had them on a stool so I could see the flower upclose. Now, Daisy, of course was much more concerned with the chicken roasting in the oven. She was laying by the oven groaning, so I wouldn't forget that she loves chicken.. ha! It was a nice afternoon. Haven't finished the sketch yet but it's coming! talk to you soon, Diana