More Statues

I have been able to get out to the Botanical Gardens a couple of times in the past few weeks and decided to continue painting the statues in the statuary vista.  The first one is of Murillo painted on April 9th.

The second one is Crawford.  He was painted last Friday which was the 20th of April.

The third one is of Canova.  It was painted Saturday which was Earth Day and the Gardens were crowded!  I seemed to be distracted a lot of the time and it shows!  Also I was trying out  different brand of panel on this one.

They are all painted on a 9x12 linen coated panel.

Two from the Botanical Gardens

I was able to get out to the Botanical Gardens this morning before the storms rolled in.  This is a statue of Titian by Moses Ezekiel.  There are a number of statues of artists along a grassy mall and all are deteriorating out in the elements.  This was painted on a 9x12 linen coated panel.  I went out today and forgot to bring my intended painting surface.  Luckily I had some panels in the car!


This next one was painted about two weeks ago.  It is a crabapple tree that was in bloom.  This tree is huge!  It is also painted on a 9x12 canvas panel.

Gazebo

Last week, I was able to get out to the Botanical Gardens on a really lovely day.  I found a nice spot in front of the butterfly meadows that had a view of the gazebo .  Running parallel to my view was a fence that I relocated.  Behind me was a very large magnolia tree so I couldn't step back and evaluate my painting.  I noticed the fence's perspective was off when I got home and did a little correction, but much to my dismay, not enough.  Anyway, here is the result.  Painted on a 9x12 linen panel.

Stone Bridge Again

Last month I went out to the stone bridge at the Botanical Gardens to try out my new easel I got for Christmas.  It was a nice, warm winter's day and I was almost able to get two paintings until the wind blew off my second canvas sheet.  I must find some other way to attach the sheets to the board besides removable tape!  I had watched a video by Scott Christensen and I wanted to try his use of grays.  It was a fun day!

It was painted on a 6x8 canvas sheet.

Sequoia in Fall

Sunday I went back to paint the Sequoia at the Botanical Gardens.  I love that tree!  Most of the deciduous foliage has disappeared.   Winter is coming!  I'm not looking forward to it.  I may go back in the Spring and paint it again!  it was painted on a 9x12 canvas board.

First Plein Air Knife Painting

Friday, while most people were braving the malls, I went to the Botanical Gardens to paint.  I am really going to have to start Christmas shopping sometime soon!   But not while there is a nice day to paint!!!  I thought that there would not be many people there, but I was wrong.  I thought I would try the skills I learned in one of the workshops I took and tried painting with the knife on location.  This was quite difficult!  And the results weren't the best (but a fun time!).  But anyway, here it is.  It is painted on a 9x12 canvas panel.

Fountain With Palm

This is yesterday's painting from a trip to the Botanical Gardens.  Yesterday's trip was intended to be studies of simpler objects but I ended up painting this fountain.  This is one of my first attempts at painting with a knife other than a few stabs here and there.  Haha, it looks like August's earthquake re-arranged the right side of the fountain base!  This painting is a combination of brushes and knife.  It was painted on a 9x12 canvas sheet.

Tomorrow I am off to Raleigh for four days at the Art of the Carolinas!  I am excited and hopeful of gaining many new painting techniques.  I signed up for six oil related workshops.  I will be returning next Monday ready to test my new skills!

Autumn

Yesterday it was a really beautiful day so I found a few hours and went to the Botanical Gardens to paint.  I found a nice spot next to the lake and this picture is the result.  It was panted on a 9x12 canvas sheet  oils.

Healing Garden

This is a painting that I did at the Botanical Gardens about two weeks ago.  It needed some touch-ups so that is what I have been doing today.  All of the paintings that I posted today were plein air paintings that needed touching up.  Usually I do that sooner but not on these.  The area painted is the Healing Garden.  It is painted on a 9x12 stretched canvas.

Foot Bridge

This was painted at the Botanical Gardens last week.  I did some touch-ups in the studio today.  It was painted on an 8x10 canvas sheet.

Fern Glade

Yesterday I went back to the Botanical Gardens.  It was very breezy so I looked for a spot in the trees.  After walking around for about an hour, I settled on this scene in the Fern Glade.  While painting, my easel almost collapsed twice.  I was able to catch everything without too much mess.  (I caught the palette in my hands.  The mess was on me!  The paint under my fingernails was difficult to remove!)  Well, the painting turned out about as good as my hands did.  It looks a little better in person, but not much!  I was not happy with this one.  Painted on an 8x10 canvas sheet.

Stone Bridge

This is yesterday's painting at the Botanical Gardens.  Leaving this scene while going back to the car, I spotted some nice scenes that I am going to try and paint today.  This was painted on an 8.5x11 canvas sheet, mountable to an 8x10 board (in oils, as usual).

Sequoia in Virginia?

Today was the last warm day for a while so I packed up and went back to the Botanical Gardens for another painting.  Yesterday I had come across a really beautiful tree with a red trunk that I thought was some type of cypress or cedar.  The tag beneath the tree identified it as a sequoia sempervirens, coastal redwood.  And I thought they all were in California!  This one is a baby, probably about 70 to 80 years old and almost as tall as the largest trees in the immediate area.  The Botanical Gardens were built in the thirties as part of a pubic works project and the sequoia was probably introduced then.
This painting is painted on a 9x12 hardwood board.

Spatterdock

Today I went out to the botanical Gardens.  This time I found a nice park bench and decided to paint sitting for a change.  The plants breaking the surface are spatterdock.  The bench faced a nice view.  I tried out a new canvas pad that is primed with what appears to be clear gesso.  The cloth is unbleached and makes for a nice tone to paint on.  the pad is 11x14 and if mounted, will probably be 9x12.

This is my cart with all my stuff that I cart around while I scope out a good painting spot.  I really love this cart!

The Fork

Today it stopped raining enough for me to slip in a quick painting.  And, I found another water view.  It too is painted on a 11x14 sheet of canvas to be mounted to a size of 9x12.  It was very soggy there!  I think it is soggy everywhere!  We have the biggest mushrooms growing that I have ever seen!

Waterview again

Today I made it out to the Botanical Gardens intending to paint trees.  I found this beautiful view and couldn't resist!  It was quite an overcast day.  I tried out a new painting surface.  I bought a canvas pad, primed canvas in sheets, and taped one to a board.  I figured if I get a decent painting, I can glue it to a board.  Space saver!  The pad is 11x14, convertible to 9x12 when mounted.

Change

Today, I went back to the Botanical Gardens.  I found a nice spot in the picnic area with a view of the causeway along the lake.  The first picture is of my setup.  I use the cart to pull my easel and bag of stuff around while looking for a nice spot to paint.

I could see the beginnings of fall.  There was a yellow tint to some of the trees.  I'm sure going to miss summer.

I painted for about two hours.  The painting is 9x12 luann gessoed board.

Plein air - Waterfall

Yesterday I went to the Botanical Gardens to paint.  After wandering around with cart in tow, I found a small waterfall I decided to paint.  The pinestraw along the bank of the stream (not to mention the rest of the painting) was very frustrating and I still am not pleased with the result.  I spent three hours in the Gardens.  The painting is on a 9x12 stretched canvas.