LITTLE BLUE HOUSE IN LAVENDER - 8 X 10 INCH WATERCOLOR/INK

DAY 12

OF

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

I thought I'd be finishing my blue poppies today, but I just wasn't in the mood to work on flowers today.  Maybe it was the cold and rain?  So, I went back to an old photo I used from the website, paintmyphoto.ning.com.

This is a lavender farm in France and I did a quick watercolor sketch of this same photo a while back.  This one took a lot more time but it was really fun.  I also did a really quick sketch of a different monastery/lavender farm, also in France.  Really rough, and really quick, but also fun to do.  "Little Blue House in Lavender" is available on Etsy and ready for your mat and frame.  

(Below is an example of how this piece will look with your mat and frame.) 

 "Little Blue House in Lavender"

(8 x 10 inch painting in a mat and 11 x 14 inch frame)

Watercolor, Pen/Ink

And the sketchbook version - pretty distorted because it's not on watercolor paper.  This was such a pretty little sketchbook that I picked it up even though it was a very porous handmade paper and NOT meant to handle watercolors.  Very different from today's version but I love the melding of colors.

And a really quick sketch with watercolor/ink just to have fun with the different values.

For purchase of "Little Blue House in Lavender", click the listing below:

Thanks for looking!

-Nan

MORE BLUE POPPIES

Day 11

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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

Day 10 of 30 in 30 - A HONEY OF A PROJECT

Day 10

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

 A friend and former student of mine is a beekeeper and he bottles some really great honey.  A few years ago he asked me if I could design a new label for his honey jars.  It was a fun project for a great product.  

Fast forward.  A few days ago another beekeeper saw the label project I did for Matthew and contacted me to design one for THEIR honey jars!  She asked for something with blackberries and blackberry leaves since that is the main nectar source for her bees.  So, I made up a listing in my

 ETSY SHOP, GILLYFLOWER COTTAGE. 

and came up with this oval label with a leaf-braided edge and blossom, leaf, and blackberry design. The pdf has been sent to Janet, of Wildflower Honey, in British Columbia.  Along with the new jar logo is  a duplicate, blank-in-the-center logo for future use when the year and weight change.  It's not a painting (for the 30 in 30 challenge) but it is a drawing.  I decided that's close enough since I used my painting time to work on it!

You can read about my first project on Matthew's blog.  And if you live in SE Wisconsin, you should contact him to try out some of his great honey.  It IS that allergy time of year and some studies have shown that eating local honey can aid allergy sufferers in the following ways: 

-60% reduction in symptoms

-Twice as many asymptomatic days

-70% fewer days with severe symptoms

and

50% decrease in usage of antihistamines

You can check out Matthew's blog, my first label project, and purchase some great honey by clicking the label for Golden Hills Honey below:

Thanks for looking!

-Nan

THE DOORS OF CEDARBURG EXHIBITION

Day 9 

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

There is an exhibition coming up in Cedarburg, Wisconsin that will be held in the Cedarburg Art Museum.  It's an exhibition called, 

"The Doors of Cedarburg" 

and the exhibitors will be selected by a jury committee headed by Tom Lidtke, retired executive director of the Museum of Wisconsin Art.  

That's the scary part.  The two words  - "jury committee"

   The submission form reads, "Artists working in a variety of media are invited to explore and interpret the diverse architectural heritage of our community with art works that have as their predominant subject, a doorway found in the city or town of Cedarburg."  Each artist is allowed to enter up to 4 pieces for the jury.  The accepted artwork will be on display and for sale from November 19th to February 22nd with a small portion of each sale going to the museum.  Ribbons will be awarded for Best of Show, 1st place, 2nd place, and Honorable Mention.  

So that's what I'm working on.  It's a scary thing for me because this is REALLY putting yourself out there.  But . . . here goes.  I started on my first entry today - the door of an old victorian mansion right on the main street in downtown Cedarburg, on Washington Avenue.  I'm doing it in pen/ink and maybe a light watercolor wash.  I have a long way to go but this will have to suffice for my 30 in 30 entry for today.  I'd also like to try an oil entry.

Thanks for looking!

-Nan

AUTUMN YELLOW ZINNIA - 12 X 12 INCH WATERCOLOR/PEN/INK

Day 8

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

The sun is pouring into my art room and the thermometer reads 73 degrees.  What better time to finish this yellow "State Fair Zinnia" I have named Autumn Yellow!  

 "Autumn Yellow"

12 x 12 watercolor/ink

(no watermark on the shipped original)

Available and ready to ship in my Etsy shop by clicking the photo below:

Thanks for looking!

-Nan

IT'S AUTUMN YELLOW IN ZINNIAVILLE

Day 6

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

Autumn Yellow vs. Summer Yellow

In the summertime the yellows in my garden look so bright and sunny.  They almost have a white shimmer to them as the sun beats down and sees its reflection.

But yellow just looks different in the fall.  As the leaves on our ash trees start to turn and then drop, the skeleton of the tree begins to show.  The black outline of its shape makes a stark contrast to the yellow of the leaves giving them a beautiful and rich glow.  

So, today's zinnia is a salute to the end of summer in anticipation of the appearance of the rich tones of autumn.  As the nights get longer and cooler, and the chlorophyll is blocked from the leaves, autumn yellow finally gets its chance to shine.

Today, I'm just posting a work in progress.  We had a full day with just a little time in the evening to work on today's painting for the 30 in 30 Challenge.   

So for now . . . meet "Autumn Yellow" in her birthday suit!

And, wearing a few bare essentials . . .

Looking forward to making her presentable tomorrow!

Thanks for looking!

-Nan

BEACH FINDS - 11 X 14 OIL ON PANEL

DAY 6

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

This 11 x 14 inch oil painting is based on one of Edward Potthast's beach paintings, "Girls Playing in the Surf".  It depicts two little girls dressed in their white voile dresses and red bows, searching the tide pools for shells and small sea creatures.  Big sister, encouraging little sister, and both hoping to find something to take home as a memory of their day at the beach.  The communication between the two seems to be, "What did you find?  Let me see!"

I recently sold a smaller watercolor version of this painting.  It was such a sweet little look into the relationship of sisters, that I decided to do a larger one in oil.  

This painting is dry and ready to ship.  It will arrive on your doorstep beautifully packaged and ready to frame.

 "Beach Finds"

11 x 14 inch oil on panel

Click below to see the listing for "Beach Finds".

Thanks for looking!

-Nan

BLUE POPPIES No. 2 - SOLD!

Day 5 

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

Meconopsis, or the Blue Poppy, is the national flower of Bhutan.  I have learned that this flower was discovered in 1922 by a mountaineer while trying to reach the summit of Mount Everest.  I guess it's hard to grow unless you have really fresh seeds and perfect condition.  

Shoot!  I'm sure Wisconsin doesn't fall into the category of "perfect conditions" but what a gorgeous flower with its crinkly tissue-like petals and interesting seed pods.  I have used archival quality watercolors in shades of blue and turquoise, along with a TechLiner archival quality pen.

In progress. 

 And done!

Just for an idea of what "Blue Poppies" will look like when matted and framed.

And, to purchase "Blue Poppies", click the listing below:

SOLD!

Thanks for looking!

-Nan

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF HOLLYHOCKS

Day 4
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3 0   P A I N T I N G S   I N   3 0   D A Y S!

Who doesn't love hollyhocks?  I have wonderful memories of hollyhocks in my mother's and grandmother's gardens.  My mom had a beautiful stand of them at the back of the yard.  My grandmother not only grew them, but also taught me how to make "hollyhock dolls".  I remember making these dolls while sitting on her front steps, then lining them up so I could admire them.

Now,  I continue to admire these old fashioned garden beauties by painting them.  This is a painting of the perennial hollyhock, Mars Magic.  With the deckled edges, this painting can be easily mounted on top of your mat board and placed in a pre-made standard frame.

About halfway done -

Some close-ups.

And the whole painting - 10.5 by 10.5 inches on heavy 300# Arches cotton fiber paper.

"Memories of Hollyhocks" is available here:

And for a little fun with your kids or grandchildren- 

Click the picture below to learn how make these old fashioned dolls:

also . . . 

here's a portion of the poem

H O L L Y H O C K S

by American poet Edgar A. Guest

 . . . My mother loved them years ago; 

Beside the fence they used to grow,

 And though the garden changed each year 

And certain blooms would disappear 

To give their places in the ground 

To something new that mother found, 

Some pretty bloom or rosebush rare— 

 The hollyhocks were always there.

Thanks for looking!

-Nan

"MARS MAGIC HOLLYHOCKS" #2 - DAY 3 OF 30 PAINTINGS IN 30 DAYS - SOLD!

This was a day of about . . . three fails.  No, maybe four.  I tried a few new things and none of them worked out very well.  So, I went back to my hollyhocks and decided to finish that one up before I started anything else.  I spent the first day drawing and now it will take two sessions to paint.  My weather app says, "82 degrees with plentiful sunshine".   My plan is to spend this beautiful late summer day with a brush and a trowel - finishing this painting and primping in my garden.

So, by tomorrow at this time this one should be finished.  Here is tonight's progress.  I'm working this one with a deckled edge on very heavy, archival paper so it can be mounted ON TOP of mat board, or UNDER a cut mat.

"MARS MAGIC"
11.5 x 11.5 inches
(pen/ink/watercolor on 300# Arches cotton paper)
SOLD!



This is a perennial hollyhock!  Most of them are biennials, but this one is long-lived and blooms the very first season.

More flower watercolors are available in my etsy shop:
    

         "FRESH CUT" - SOLD!

Thanks for looking!
-Nan

"FRESH CUT" - DAY 2 of 30 PAINTINGS IN 30 DAYS

Day 2 of 

30 PAINTINGS IN 30 DAYS 

It was one of those beautiful, end-of-summer days - sunny and just enough humidity to make it still feel like summer.  What better place to spend a portion of the day than in my art room with the sun and breeze pouring in the open windows!

This jumble of paper, paints, brushes, and pens led to the petite 5 x 5 inch watercolor/pen/ink I have named, "FRESH CUT."   I have used 300# Arches watercolor paper which is a thick, 100% cotton fiber paper mouldmade in France.   The watercolors used are Sennelier, also made in France and with an increased amount of honey for luminous, lightfast color.  

This flower would be an enchanting addition to your cottage garden.   It's a zinnia that is heavy on the petals and deep in the rosy-reds, and a little of the orange-reds on the petal tips.

"FRESH CUT"

5 x 5 inches

(ready for your mat and frame)

SOLD!

There is a little VIDEO showing the drawing and painting of "Fresh Cut" on my Facebook page, I hope you'll check it out by clicking the photo below!  While you're there, please click the "like" button so you can follow along on future Facebook posts for my "You Could Make That" blog.

"Fresh Cut" is available here:

Thanks for looking!

-Nan

"STANDING TALL" - DAY 1 of 30 PAINTINGS IN 30 DAYS

This is the first day of the 

30 PAINTINGS IN 30 DAYS CHALLENGE

by California artist,  Leslie Saeta.

I'm starting out with paintings of my garden flowers - that should keep me busy for at least a week!  This is a "Golden Yellow Supreme" zinnia - they grow 3-5 feet tall and bloom until the first frost!  Perfect and long-lasting in bouquets, zinnias are one of my favorite flowers.  

"STANDING TALL"

6 x 6 inch watercolor on Ampersand Aquabord

(easel included)

The first painting of the challenge is done on Aquabord by Ampersand.  This is a new product for me and quite different than painting on watercolor paper.

(Some details about Aquabord: "Museum Series Aquabord™ is an acid-free textured clay surface that absorbs watercolors like a fine paper. Colors retain their purity and vibrancy in a way that even the finest of watercolor papers can never match. Archival, eco-friendly and made in the USA.")

Thanks for looking!

-Nan

HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT

The Sun Cherry Zinnia.  

A real stunner in the world of zinnias.  Brilliant color with long-ish petals that stand up well while allowing a few to gracefully "droop" to add artistic flair to this flower in a bouquet. 

This one, with its two drooping petals, reminds me of the whimsical children's game, "He loves me, he loves me not", as illustrated in this old engraving:

"The Decision of the Flower" (1820) 

by Henry Moses

I'm loving the process of working on pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations.  From the outlining of each petal -

  

to the finished drawing -

 . . . to the process of adding color.  It's picky, time-consuming, and detailed drawing, but I love seeing it all come together!

These 8 x 10 inch original watercolor is available in my Etsy shop.  (fits perfectly in an 11 x 14 inch frame) It will arrive safely on your doorstep matted, backed, creatively packaged, and ready for framing in no time!

Other pen/ink/watercolor flowers in my shop:

Or, purchase a commission of your own favorite below:

Thanks for looking!

-Nan