30 PAINTINGS IN 30 DAYS . . . AGAIN!

The new year looks to be full of new and interesting opportunities.  I have lots of exciting plans in the works - from trips to warm places, a watercolor/sketching workshop in a place I've never visited, garden plans for my own new home, and so much more!  Of course, all these things bring new opportunities to create art.  And an appropriate way to kick it all off is with Leslie Saeta's 30 PAINTINGS IN 30 DAYS CHALLENGE.

Leslie always suggests choosing a theme for your 30 in 30 participation.  So I'm combining my love of flowers with my love of doing home portraits.

For the month of January, 
I'll be doing daily blog posts in a series entitled:

*** B L O O M S  &  B U I L D I N G S ***

All artwork for the 30 in 30 will be for sale in my Etsy shop the same day it is posted on the blog. 

So, sign up for daily blog updates with your email address right under my profile at the top of the sidebar.   ----------->

-Nan

MY PAINTINGS IN THE VILLAGE OF WAUWATOSA

I have some exciting news to share!

My paintings can now be found in this beautiful boutique in downtown Wauwatosa!

The
V I L L A G E   B O U T I Q U E   C L O T H I E R S
is an Anthropologie-like shop located in the old Robertson Ace Hardware space at 1417 Underwood Avenue.  Old hardwood floors, creative displays of beautiful clothing, jewelry, and home decor, all surrounded by vintage pieces and built-ins left from the old days of Robertson's store.  This is really a stunning shop and I am thrilled to have my paintings  featured! 

"Blue Poppy"

 "Sun Cherry Zinnia"

 "Autumn Gold Zinnia"

"Orange Poppies"

 20" x 24" Acrylic

And today,  I'm staying at home to work on a commission for a home portrait.

There's still time to order your custom home portrait for Christmas gift-giving.  You can find it here:

Thanks for looking!

Nan

MORE BLUE POPPIES

Day 11

of

3 0   P A I N T I N G S   I N   3 0   D A Y S 

For day 11 of the 30 painting challenge, I'm showing a work in progress.  This is another painting of blue poppies - it will be about 11 x 11 inches when done.  I'm painting this to replace a different blue poppy painting I've had in my living room for awhile.  

To this one, I'll be adding another full bloom, one just opening, and a few pods.

Thanks for looking!
Check back tomorrow when "Blue Poppies" should be finished.

-Nan

DAD'S "SUMMER GIFTS" TO MOM - A SPRAY OF ZINNIAS

I've spent the last couple days working on some watercolors of one of my favorite garden flowers - the old fashioned zinnia.  I have great memories of zinnia bouquets on display all over my childhood home.  My dad used to love to go out to the garden in the early evening and cut bundles of them.  Then he would proudly head into the kitchen, fill up a bunch of mom's old canning jars with water, and deposit the flowers inside of them for mom to use in arrangements.  Sometimes this would mean multiple trips between kitchen and garden.  I distinctly remember my mom standing there with jars full all around her as she watched dad head back out for a another load.  She gave me a look that meant - "Where am I going to put all of these flowers?"  But, along with the raised eyebrows, there was a smile hiding on her face. I knew that deep down she was touched by his interest in filling the house with the flowers she tended.

And now the tradition continues.  I fill my house with flowers from my own garden.  While I do love bouquets everywhere, I'm sure there's a part of me that is just imitating a favorite memory of my childhood.  Isn't that what we do sometimes so that we never, ever forget?

A SPRAY OF ZINNIAS

10 X 10"

PROFUSION CHERRY

3.5 x 3.5" 

These watercolors and more can be found in my Etsy shop here.

Thanks for looking!

-Nan

MOM'S GERANIUM

A little over a year ago, I lost one of my best friends.  My mom.  She lived a long life, well into her 80s - but it's still hard and I miss her every day.  Now, memories of her play in my mind.  Daily, I see or do things that trigger thoughts of mom, and that's a wonderful thing.

The fall before she died, she and I were clearing out her garden pots and getting things ready for winter.  There was one huge geranium in a pot that she was ready to toss, but I suggested that I take it home and nurse it through the winter, with plans to return it to her in the spring.  

I spend a lot of time in my art room, especially in the winter.  It's also the room that gets the best light for plants.    So, here it is, in full bloom, last January!  I felt like I had a little bit of mom with me while I painted through this especially dark, cold, Wisconsin winter.   

Now, it's out in my garden storing up energy to get it through the winter to come.  And it is BEAUTIFUL!  I've even rooted multiple cuttings, not wanting to take a chance of losing this plant.  

You can see just a bit of it off on the center of the left side of this photo - one of the first plants to be seen as you enter the garden from the front of our house.  

 And last, but not least, I chose Mom's geranium as my model for drawing today, after adding watercolor . . .

and before.

Looking forward to many, many years of remembering mom through her beautiful geranium.