Iris Class and Shadow Painting

HI, my Iris Class was yesterday in Norfolk at the Norfolk Botanical Garden. I had 7 very sweet students, we enjoyed shadow painting, pouring in a more controlled way,and painting our iris.(Shadow painting is wonderful, take your flower and put it over your paper with a strong light to create a clear shadow,paint the shadow with water and now add color to the water wash.--they turn out very loose and oh so gorgeous, try one!) I found the iris in Tasley at Basket and Bows Florist and so Friday I drove up there to get them.

The iris have finally opened all the way. I did a demo there but will do more here. Here they are on my art table, such a beautiful color.

Sadie,our lab, is doing great she brought in a 4 foot stick to knaw on under my art table.. I took her photo before I took it from her. Ha ha.. she loves to chew.She is sitting next to me now so I can scratch her neck while I type.

It's been a busy weekend.Hope you had a lovely one. love to you,Diana

My Sadie,our puppy, was hit by a truck..

 Sketch of Sadie after she ate her first snow!

Painted on ice in 4 degree temperature.

 How do I tell you-- Sadie was hit by a tractor trailer truck yesterday afternoon. She and  I were in the front yard. I heard some large trucks coming down the road and grabbed her collar. Two went by, I didn't hear anything so I let her go. Another truck came down the road. She ran and I screamed No,, She ran right in front of him and he hit her on the side. She flipped totally over and ran. RAN.. I ran, screaming NO NO.. fell in the snow.  The truck driver stopped.. He was trying to stop when he saw us.. He came out and apologized, I told him he couldn't help it.. he was so very kind. She came to us, I got her in the house. and took her to the vet. They watched her for hours and I waited. She is ok. She's sore and has one little cut but it is a miracle that she is fine. I'm still watching her and trying to make her rest but she is doing fine. OH it scared me so badly. You know how dearly I love her. If only I'd brought her in sooner.

I was going to show you this wash I did the other morning. I took my paints and water outside, I poured water onto the paper..before I could put the brush filled with color onto the paper the water had froze onto the paper.  I was painting on ice crystals.. it was amazing. Unfortunately it didn't dry so well when I brought it inside. I had planned to paint yesterday afternoon.. but that didn't happen.

Wishing each of you a safe and warm weekend. love to each of you..Diana

Snow Day--Yep, We are Snowed in!

Sadie biting her frozen pool.

Snow Day. WOW.. we got probably 4 inches and today it's been cold near 20 degrees. On the ES we don't get much snow and if we do it's gone by the next day. However this is supposed to stay around for a few days. Sadie,the puppy, was so excited she galloped and ran and just had the best time.(Of course we had 5 gloves and she ate one. None match.. this is creative Right??!! ha ha please don't ask about the sock matching.)Poor Rudy,our kitty went out once and I told John that's it.. she stays in

Here is my art table this morning. I've painted watercolors of  snow all day, played with the blues, some negative painting... and had a good time.

The last photo is of our front yard. Hope you all are staying warm and dry and have your electricity.

 love to each of you. Are you in the snow too?? Diana

My Class at ESO in Belle Haven has been postponed due to the Snow. Check the listing on the right for classes..it will be next Thursday. Thanks so much!!

Red Hibiscus Watercolor and How to Glaze in Watercolor

HI. This is one of my very favorite paintings I ever did. It is a red hibiscus.  I glazed each petal probably 5 times. Glazing is after the wash was dry I put clear water on the petal then added the colors where I wanted them onto the wet wash. Glazing can also be done by just putting a layer onto the petal with the color and water together.  I watched each glaze dry so I didn't have any back washes appear. If they did I simply glazed with clear water to get rid of them. I do like back washes sometimes..I really love them at  times but for this painting I wanted it smooth and voluptuous. I sold this to either a lady in Onancock or Jamesville, I can't remember..Reds do seem to require more glazing than other colors..to make them intense.

The bazaar was wonderful. I got up and went out there to the church this morning. I had made brownies too for the bake table,and took the sunflower watercolor for the auction. Everything looked lovely, so many Christmas decorations to buy and so many cakes!! I know they must have done well! I bought a huge radish,4 coffee mugs--tall and skinny for John--that's how he likes his mugs,a cup of coffee to sip as I visited and meandered,and a couple of books.

Tonight we are going to watch Taken 2-- a new movie on tv. Sadie, on her Serta, ha ha and Rudy, the cat, on John's lap will snooze the night away. Have a great relaxing evening. love,Diana

Nice Show

hi! Yesterday's art  show was lovely. We had tons of artists and lots of customers and the weather was nice too. We all sold some things,so that was good. Here's the painting I had started before the show and hoped to have at the show(but I'll have it finished for the Art on The Farm).. I had picked some wild dogwood from our yard and the hummingbirds have come and are zipping thru the back porch so I wanted to paint them too.

 This is Sadie,from Friday night. I had taken her outside to do her bathroom duties,it was dark. She smelled some animal and hightailed it up the steps and to the back door. I was there with her and didn't see anything.. but poor baby she was terrified. She raced into the house and ran to the den and got as close to the cat as she could. Ha ha.. poor old Rudy,our 19year old cat.. ha ha..

What are you doing this weekend? Take care, love,Diana

Hoping again

Hi, Well I've been focusing on calling to try and find a yellow lab puppy. I've called everywhere.. and looked on the internet.. and I just found a mama lab who will have labs next week.. I'm excited. She's yellow,and I hope she will have a light yellow one! They live about an hour away -- I will let you know when I know. Let's all hope. ( I'm praying too ) talk to you soon,Diana

I've been doing contour drawings of zinnas and did a loose painting.. no you don't want to see it.
( you know the photo is of my Dear Daisy while we painted on the front porch.)