Class in the morning

Well I'm  ready for class tomorrow,  I have to pack up in the morning, just put it  all in the car. I am tired. Dear Sadie is laying in my lap, 84 lb of Labrador. I have to leave early so I am hitting the hay soon. Good night and  my love to you.Diana 

Painting Roses and Class this Saturday

Wachapreague Roses, 8x10, framed  $99. 

Hi Everyone,  this Saturday  I am teaching at Norfolk Botanical Garden,  Peonies  and Iris, call Meredith at 1 757 441 5830 ext 338 to register.

Here are some photos of my new painting of Roses. My great Aunt Pat gave them to me from her little  shop in Wachapreague, Va. Seaside Antiques and Art.  First I drew them on my arches 140lb. Cold press, then I painted them varying the peach, pink ,yellow mix  ooo loving the peach colors  this year.  My shadows were not strong enough so I went back in and glazed the darker peaches in. I used thina roone violet, permanent rose,opera rose, cad yellow light and cad yellow medium,cad red medium...just for the roses. Background  (continuing my darkness)  I used viridian green, sepia, burnt umber, ultramarine blue  and cad yellow  light.

But this weekend  we will paint peonies  and iris. I choose  what is on their blooming chart, but as in nature it doesn't  always  work out that that is Blooming,  I hope So! I would rather paint from life.

I have planted  4 packs of sunflowers seed. So far they are 1 in. High. I love Sunflowers don't  you. I hope you had a nice happy mothers day.  I did our son came home with his girlfriend,  our daughter  called looking forward to seeing her soon. Love to each of you,  Diana  below are 2 photos of Norfolk Academy Art Show,  I sold one of my paintings,  Here are Bobbie, Beth, Danny and me. It was a fun time!

Happy Mother's Day!!

New Painting!

My Sadie, trying to help with the laundry as I paint, isn't she sweet.

Wishing everyone a beautiful, loving mother's day or Sunday. My love to each of you,Diana

Beautiful students and beautiful flowers!

Raina with her completed watercolor. She did Great!!

Yesterday at Norfolk Botanical Garden, I had 11 ladies in my class.We studied hummingbirds and peonies. Gorgeous peonies. The azaleas were blooming, what a wonderful day. Everyone did a great job painting and we had a fun time together. Thank you all so much!

I've been painting on a watercolor of peonies today that I started yesterday. Just made some coffee, another beautiful spring day!! Happy Sunday.

 love to each of you,Diana

 ps. Sadie,my lab,has been by my side, our kitty, Cupcake has been delighted to find a few windows open so she could get closer to the hummingbirds!!

Ready to Roll

Colors of Spring and Spring, both original watercolor,ready to roll.

Colors of Spring

Spring

Finished. a sigh of relief.. Thank goodness. I've finished the framing too. I framed as dear Sadie stuffed her chewy into my lap. So I'm ready for that show.. I have to deliver them Friday(tomorrow)morning to the Red Queen Gallery in Onancock.

I will start another little watercolor after lunch. I haven't painted today just the framing..another show on Saturday. It's so cold today. Yesterday it was 60 degrees and so wonderful outside now it's in the 30's. I'm so looking forward to warmer weather. I hope you get to enjoy doing something you love today. love to you,Diana

Peonies in Watercolor Continues

peonies, in progress,stopped now.. just deciding about adding a bud.

peonies before I worked on it today..

Thank Goodness, she's conked out for now!!

HI, here's my progress on the Peony watercolor. I've just looked up some bud photos and done a few sketches of them.. will go back to my art table and see what looks good in that space to the left under the top peony. I'm not so sure about a bird now. I'm liking the petally look.. but the stems.. I think green would kill the painting. What do you think..love to you,Diana

Ps. Sadie finally went to sleep.. She has come and got on my lap, sniffed the paintbrush and finally is relaxing. What a pose! Rudy,our sick kitty, is doing ok, eating well and sleeping in John's chair now. He is her favorite,which is fine.

Peony Painting Beginnings

Drawn and started painting, I still will change it perhaps adding a hummingbird.

Sadie,playing in the snow.

HI, Well we got snow night before last. About 4 inches,not too bad really but I'm ready for daffodils and yes I have 3 crocus blooming. For me I'm always so tickled there is a flower growing in the yard!!

This was before the snow. The crocus are now covered.

  I've started a new painting. Finally decided on peonies, you can see it above. I'm going to add something,either a bird or a butterfly to the top right. I love these colors. Cadmium Yellow Deep,Red Rose Deep,Opera.. We're having another Spring Show at Red Queen Gallery for the ESAL(Eastern Shore Art League), 2 pieces per member and they must be never before seen.. translation never before seen which means 2 brand new watercolors for me.With the snow it is a perfect day to paint.

 Sadie,our dear not a puppy anymore, is napping now at my feet. She's been out chasing birds away from my snow day bird cake. Yesterday I made a cake for the birds(just a stale box mix) --I seem to never have birdseed.. so they get all kinds of goodies like peanut butter sandwiches or leftover cereal..  Sadie had a taste of the cake and decided she would have the rest but it's high up the tree in the bird feeder.(I hope)  The colors of the female cardinal inspired this painting and I may add one to the painting I'll see. She has been hanging around today,so have Juncos,Titmice,Chickadees and other Cardinals.

I hope you are warm and cozy today -- what have you been doing??. love to you,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