Rain, Rain, Rain

It seems like it has been raining here forever. The grass is starting to look like a field, and while the gardens love the rain, nothing is ripening without the sun.

The upside to this weather is that I have been working in the studio without any second thoughts about the gardens. I have finished a new series of 10 mixed media collages that will debut in my October newsletter. If you're not a subscriber and would like to start receiving my newsletter, send me an email or leave me a comment with your email address.

The photo above is Mya, and I love the shadow play and the tilt of her head. She is so photogenic!

Monarch Heaven

I don't remember that the sedum has ever attracted as many monarch butterflies as this year. Every time I walk outside, there are probably 5-6 butterflies on each plant. My camera and I are truly enjoying this photo opportunity!

Last of the Leaves

5" x 5"

This is the last of the leaf watercolors that I have been working on. I'm packing my watercolors away for a while, so I can work on some mixed media collages. I seem to cycle through phases in the studio, and I feel like it is time to let the watercolors rest.

I am painting cloth and canvas now and contemplating a series of collages that incorporate cloth as well as bits of unsuccessful watercolors. I still have leaves on my mind, so these collages will probably have a neutral palette.

Once the trees start changing colors, I'm sure I will be working in brighter colors. I seem to be inspired to create a new "Autumn" series each year, and I can already feel that in my heart this year as well. It is such fun to be an artist with natural inspiration all around!

Comfort Painting with a Twist

When I get frustrated in the studio, the two things I turn to are photography and watercolor painting. It seems that I can always go out on a photography jaunt or get out my watercolor supplies and feel success.

Recently I have been working on a new series, and even though I have tried what feels like a zillion approaches, to date I am not happy with the results. So out came my watercolors and my watercolor block. It recently dawned on me that all of my watercolors have been realistic scenes from nature. So I did some exploring with abstracts in the last couple of weeks. Though not wildly successful, I did enjoy the process, and I hope to continue exploring that path.

This time I returned to my realistic painting roots, but changed to a non-nature subject. I am quite pleased with this rendition of a padlock, and it has given me tons of ideas for new subjects --- like weathered barns, and the rust on the grain bins, and peeling paint on ancient farm machinery, and crumbling bricks and broken glass in old buildings.

THIS is what is great about being an artist --- that never-ending fascination with exploration and "what if"!

Inside Looking Out

This morning the dogs were in the backyard with my husband, and I was out front photographing a dragonfly. When I came down the walkway, here was Mya, watching for me. The wistfulness in her eyes is obvious. Even though I don't usually like photos of animals in cages or behind fences, I love the story this photo tells.