Marsh edge

One of my favourite walks is to a nearby lake with a very marshy edge. Full of water plants, fish, ducks and birds this lake is a wonderful quiety sanctuary. This lake has a fishing dock which is is always in use, people hopefully casting for some of the trout with which the lake has been stocked . . . with lots of catching of perch which have taken over and which thrill the kids who fish for them. There are often boats of various sizes and shapes - inflatables, rowboats, small boats with electric motors, canoes - anything to get out on the water.

The edges of the lake are full of things to investigate as well; may types of ducks nest around the edge, swans and geese land, herons fish the edges and hawks and eagles circle above. For such a small body of water there is an amazing amount of life depending on it.

My painting of the lily pads was inspired by a recent visit and was done from memory - the next time I was there I took my camera and took these photos. I also took a video to capture the sound of the redwing blackbirds, other songbirds, frogs and other life forms, things we don't often get to hear when we are closer to home and traffic.

Fun Flowers - whimsy on canvas

Fun Flowers #6 - Rose Bowl

Since beginning my painting journey I have travelled back and forth between acrylics and watercolours, throwing in watercolour pencils and markers, as well as some pen & ink.

My latest paintings are whimsical, brightly coloured, and fun - acrylic once more! These paintings (the Fun Flowers series) start with a background of multiple colours produced by splashing paint on canvas followed by a spray of water and then throwing rubbing alcohol onto the canvas to disperse the paint into lovely textures. Once the paint is dry I look at the result and "see what I see", drawing the outlines of flower, stems, leaves, vase or what have you, with a charcoal pencil or watercolour pencil. Making the decision of what to outline is fun, and once the background paint is applied in a negative painting application, it all starts to come together. These paintings make me smile, and hopefully they make the viewers smile as well.

The differences between the two mediums is amazing to me! Although I find I can have fun manipulating acrylic to suit my application, I love the way watercolour has a mind of it's own, and that I cannot really control it. Watching watercolour react with water on paper is fascinating - and it has taught me patience far beyond my natural impulse, and as I have heard all my life "patience is a virtue" which, in the case of watercolour painting, is so true.

Because I have been a gardener all of my adult life, I have enjoyed growing many different types of flora - and have used my memories of flowers come alive on the canvas without striving or even attempting to give them a realistic look - and this is why they are so much fun and happy.

I hope you enjoy my paintings as much as I have enjoyed painting them, both acrylic and watercolour. Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing any of the paintings on my website, or if you have questions.

Springtime

Little Lilac - watercolour

Spring is a time of hope and renewal. Flowers are anticipated and flourish; gardens are planted; windows are washed! Walking about the yard, peering into unopened rhododendron buds to gauge the time till opening day, gives me such a sense of happiness. Our yard is in it's 12th year now, the longest I have ever enjoyed a garden I have developed, and is looking quite mature (read "overgrown") in most areas. The Japanese Maple trees are beginning to be the canopy trees I envisioned when they were planted as sprigs of 3 feet in height, the rhodos are filled with blossoms, and the undergrowth of perennial geraniums, columbine, lily of the valley etc are filling in the ground level.

Being able to walk about my garden, snapping photos for reference for paintings is a wonderful experience. In every home I have lived throughout my adult life I have developed gardens and left them behind with each move. Until this garden, the maximum time I have enjoyed my gardens has been 7 years, so this twelfth year is quite a thrill.