A Crab Watercolor and Wild Mushrooms

crab.. in progress

Sadie Sketches..

Oyster mushrooms??

HI. Here is a crab watercolor. I've just sketched onto my poured background and am negatively painting around the crab. I actually have a little time today!!! Oh it feels so good to paint. Here are 2 sketches of Sadie ha.. one she has her head off the bed. Wish I could sleep that soundly! On my forages into the woods, here are some Oyster Mushrooms. No I don't feel like my identification is good enough to try them... but it's so much fun to find a new mushroom to just look at.. ok maybe paint.... I too found Old Man in the Woods Mushrooms, these are black with almost fur on top and grow from dead wood..so unusual looking. So back to the crab.. hope you know who(Sadie-our puppy) is not awake yet.. love to you,Diana

Hollyhock Watercolor, Decaying Buzzard Wing, and Serta Doggie Mattress

HI, Here is a new little loose hollyhock watercolor. I tried one of the demonstrations from Jean Haines book and it was so much fun. Painting negatively around the flower with lots of color.. I didn't get to paint long.

 Sadie, our puppy, had to go out so out we went.I decided to move some dirt into the area the well people left with clumps of gray dirt.( Horrible dirt that hardens and Sadie loves  to eat.) So I'm digging and burying  the clumps. Sadie wanders into the woods and will not come to me. I'm calling and calling.. here she comes.. oh my gosh.. oh no..

 She is regal in her prance and carries a half of a dead buzzard, wing fully extended..I can smell them coming.

She puts it down and backs away as if to say "Aren't you proud of me?" She snatches it and I make a quick grab for it ,into John's car washing bucket it goes and I hang it in the crape myrtle tree. Oh does it smell. I know she needs a bath now. But Sadie hates the hose... so I grab a soaped up rag and soap her down and pour a container of water on her. Off she runs.. and will not come to me. I'm chasing her around the yard,finally,finally, get her to come in and dry her off--- soaped areas too. Whatever..

 I'd heard the phone so I called back-it was Beth, she's home from Montana. As we talked I saw Sadie chewing and chewing on something.----- She had eaten holes in her new Serta mattress( my mother brought it to her-- have you ever heard of a Serta Mattress for a dog.. talk about luxury.. good grief). So I got it away from her and as she took a nap I sewed it up.Suppertime was here.

A Week

Sunflower in garden in Cape Charles,Va.

Blooming Devil's Walking Stick.. the butterflies love this. It's in my backyard!

My adorable Sadie.

It's been one of those few days when everything is going on and I haven't painted like I wanted to.  I've done a few little things. I did a quick forest scene trying to capture the golden back lighting coming thru the trees. I did it in just a few minutes.

Here it is. fun but ah well.. so what did I do this week. Well, I had a couple of lessons I taught. I went to Cape Charles at the Stage Door Gallery on Wednesday to pick up some paintings. I sold another silly chicken painting! ha ha.. I stopped at the Appleseed Nurseries on the way home and looked around, didn't buy anything this time. Thursday I went to my parents to help them and today I went to Nancy's funeral,which was nice if funerals can be nice,yes of course I cried..so I've been trying to read just now while John is watching a fight on tv. I've starting a new James Patterson book-- I know I'll enjoy it once I get in it. I did read a excellent art book this week. Everyday Matters by Danny Gregory. So inspiring, I've read it once and am rereading it.. Hope you have a wonderful weekend. What have you done this week? talk to you soon,Love to you,Diana

Quick Draw 757 at Cape Charles,Va.

" On Kellogg's Corner," original plein aire watercolor

Sidewalk showing of work

Kellogg's building in Cape Charles,Va.

Someone napping on the job.(Sadie)

Well I made it. It was my first timed plein aire. I've painted plein aire lots of times but never with a time limit. We had 3 hours to paint whatever we wanted from historical Cape Charles. I"d always wanted to paint this old building. It has so much character... but it's brick.. and look at the details.. youzer.. I was down to the wire and just finished at 3 hours,so tired and melting into the lawn chair.. It was fun.  All the artists were melting into the sidewalk.. ha ha... we each one got a new t shirt.. there were nice cash prizes too--no I didn't get one but,  I learned  quite a bit.. now I'll go drink some iced anything ... hope you have a wonderful Sunday. Love to you,Diana

Sunflower Painting and Sad News

HI, This week I've been painting this small sunflower painting. I started with the sketch onto a poured background. ( The well men came and finished connecting our new well so this was going on at the time.. 3 trucks, a backhoe, and Sadie--our puppy- running from window to window to go outside and play with her new friends!--the 3 men..) I decided to put the checkerboard in later and am glad I did.

 It also kept me busy with the painting , I kept coming across Nancy's notecard.. Nancy is one of my students and a dear friend who sent me a lovely handpainted note last year when I had back trouble to wish me well. I cherish it and I'd been thinking of her so much. I had heard she had pancreatic cancer and later that night I heard she passed away. She was a sweet person.. a biology professor.. she loved colors and told me she bought just about every tube of new color she could.. She said she had a bushel basket of them! I''ll miss her and my love and sympathy to her family. I came up with the idea and started doing checkerboard paintings with her.. we did a pear and she used a different color in each 1/4 inch square. It was lovely.

This weekend, Sunday I will be painting plein aire in Cape Charles Quick Draw. A 3 hour event..(it's short ) from 9am-12 noon we paint, then are judged.. It will be fun. love to you all and have a great weekend! Diana  

Watercolor Workshop on Butterflies..They did Beautifully!

Butterfly Class at NBG

Marion painting in class.

HI! We had a nice class  yesterday. We all painted tiger swallow tail butterflies and coneflowers and or rubeckia ( blackeyed susans)To me, and I didn't tell them til after class, butterflies are one of the hardest and  most challenging things I paint, and they did it beautifully! A few of the ladies had left before I remembered to take a photo.. we had 8 total.  It was a fun day ,wonderful students and great results!!!

As we were leaving the rain started in, and it was pouring with strong winds as I got to Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to travel home. Some travellers were pulling over on the emergency stopping areas.. I just kept going slowly,gripping the wheel.. and here's a photo as I'm coming off of the 17 mile bridge tunnel.  Glad to be home!
Have a wonderful Sunday, Love,Diana

Butterfly Watercolor Finished and Getting ready...

HI, I finished my butterfly and framed these 3 this morning.  Tomorrow I've got class at Norfolk Botanical Garden. I made my notes yesterday--and now I've got to fix the palettes. I use disposable foam egg crates for palettes. I have 7 students so far, so I'll prepare for 8 or more. Almost didn't have enough paper but I found it here thank goodness.. I want to make chicken salad late in the day,right now the chicken is solid frozen. ha... so we'll have leftovers for supper tomorrow night after I get home You know-- I'm zapped. Tell me what you are painting this weekend. Have a wonderful one. love to you,Diana   ps Sadie trying to look innocent.