"Poppy Beauty" (watercolor on paper; 5" x 7")

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I don't know about you, but just looking at these two beautiful red oriental poppies makes my heart beat a little faster!

"Foxgloves" (watercolor; 6" x 4")

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"Foxgloves" is another "sketch" that turned out well.  I started out by drawing the florets with aquarelle pencils, then applied watercolor paints.  If there are any errant lines, I just brush over them with clear water, which blurs and softens them.  I am in love with the method which allows me to draw and paint small watercolors loosely without pressure to produce.

"Lavender Basket" (watercolor on paper; 5" x 7") sold

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Have you ever visited a lavender farm during the lavender season? It's heavenly!

"Happy Bees" (watercolor on paper; 7.5" x 7.5") sold

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Do two happy bumble bees basking on sunflowers make you feel happy too?  This painting was conceived as a horizontal rectangle, but the design troubled me.  When I cropped it into a square, the whole thing suddenly made sense with the bees as the focal point.  Sometimes less is more!

"Roses Roses Yellow Roses" (watercolor on paper; 7" x 10")

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Yellow roses in the sun warm my heart and lift my soul!

"Pink Rose Magic" (watercolor on paper; 8" x 8")

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Pink roses in the sun. Ah, they are pure bliss!

"Lotus Dream" (oil on linen; 10" x 8") sold

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Every summer I visit a lotus pond at a nearby park to admire the noble beauty of the lotus flower.  For the rest of the year I dream about its beauty.

Here I am using a Silver Bristlon flat brush #4 for the transparent underpainting.  The drawing has a lot of straight lines, so it helps to use a new brush with nice straight edge.  The unnatural green color is viridian.

I am in the process of blocking in with opaque paints.  The challenge of this painting is differentiating many greens in lotus pads: warm/cool, dark/light, and intense/grayed.

Continuing to develop the pads.  I also changed the "background" colors.

"Lotus Pond" (oil on linen; 8" x 8") sold

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I love everything about the lotus plant--its sculptural form, flowers, seedpods, and Buddhist symbolism.  Of course, I have to wait for five more months to see lotus flowers in bloom in my favorite park.  I went over there last Friday, a couple of days after the Nor'easter.  The scene below is what I found.  It's pretty, isn't it?  But I didn't paint it, because I know everybody is sick of snow.  Instead, I painted my favorite flowers.  How about that!

Geese in the lotus pond at the Green Spring Gardens Park in Alexandria, VA

"Hope Poppy" (oil on linen; 4" x 5") gift

gift

I painted "Hope Poppy" as a gift to Pat MacMaster.  She found me on Facebook, fell in love with my paintings, and ordered two pet portraits.  In other words, she is a great fan.  Then she went out of her way to introduce my work to her friend, who was uncomfortable with the computer stuff.  So Pat served as a go-between, sending me Lynn's dogs' pictures, texting her, etc.  To make the long story short, I was able to paint and sell three pet portraits thanks to her.

When she first sent me the email about her friend, I was down.  Suddenly I felt the surge of optimism.  Someone loved my work so much that she spent her rare visit with her friend, talking her into ordering paintings.  I felt hope.  Yes, I can do it.  I can make a go of it as a full-time artist!

I titled the small painting "Hope Poppy."  A bright poppy is in full bloom amongst lush greens; a bud will open another day.  "Hope Poppy" is filled with light and hope.  Thank you, Pat.

"Bountiful Hydrangea" (watercolor on Yupo; 10" x 8") sold

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Hydrangea has got to be the most bountiful plant ever.  One small pot of hydrangea will grow to be a huge bush laden with beautiful flower heads!  I wasn't sure whether I could paint such a complex, tight subject on the "uncontrollable" Yupo.

After I put down the initial washes of the blue flowers, warm shadows in the foreground, and cool darks in the background, however, I could envision the sunny hydrangea bed coming to life.  I proceeded to develop the leaves and flowers.  If you step way back, the painting reads even better.  I am proud of myself for pulling off "Bountiful Hydrangea"!

"Poppy Dreams" (watercolor on Yupo; 6" x 8") sold

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I am continuing my Yupo painting explorations.  Everyday I work on two or three paintings.  Why?  Because paints on Yupo dry very slowly; water has to evaporate, as the synthetic support does not absorb any moisture.  While a section on a painting is drying, I work on something else on anther painting.  I go for puddly, spontaneous, watercolory look in these paintings, but they are actually painted slowly, patiently, and in stages.  How do you like "Poppy Dreams"?

By the way, I found a great quote by Claude Monet: "I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers."  He took words right out of my mouth!  I can paint flowers everyday for months without running out of inspiration!

"Pink Hollyhocks" (watercolor on Yupo; 10" x 8")

matted size: 14" x 11"
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I decided to paint watercolors this summer, taking a break from the intense oil painting exploration since April.  If you are a regular reader of my blog, you may recall my "Spring Fever" series of watercolor florals in March.

"Spring Flowers Collage I"
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For this summer's watercolor series, I wanted to do something different.  I felt that my usual way of painting watercolors was too tight.  Honestly, no artist wants to paint tightly!  How do I achieve my goal of painting loosely?  Paint on Yupo, which does its own thing.

I can't go back to fix things, because if I do, the dry paints will be reactivated by water and be lifted.  If I use a soft sable brush with the gentlest touch, I can maybe do a glaze or two over a small area.  Ordinarily, watercolor paints on paper dry disappointingly lighter than they appeared when wet.  Not with Yupo.  Paints dry in intense original colors and glow like jewels.  Look at "Pink Hollyhocks".  Do you believe me?

"Hydrangea and White Picket Fence" (oil on linen; 8" x 8") sold

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Hydrangeas are blooming!  There is something irresistible about hydrangeas AND a white picket fence.  They pull heartstrings as nothing else.  So romantic and nostalgic.  It doesn't matter whether your mother's garden had these.  I do have a white picket fence; I have a small pink hydrangea bush.  But they are separated by a lawn and driveway!

So, during the hydrangea season, I haunt the Green Spring Garden's Park in Alexandria, VA, which is just a stone's throw from my place.  The gazebo, which I have painted a gazillion times, is surrounded by a white picket fence.  When hydrangeas bloom, it looks even prettier.  For the past few weeks I checked the growth of the hydrangeas several times to make sure that I wouldn't miss them at their peak.  My patience was rewarded at last.  You will be seeing more of hydrangea paintings!  

By the way, the winner of the print of "Summer Garden" is Sandra Land. Congratulations!  I would like to thank 50 fans and followers who participated in the drawing.  I will be giving away an original painting in early July.  So stay tuned!

Do you remember this gazebo?

"Sunny Roses" (oil on linen; 6" x 8") sold

sold

Reference photo

These are the same roses as in "Yellow Roses" from a slightly different angle.  Much can be said for painting the same thing over and over again.  One gains a deeper understanding of the subject through the repetition with variation.  Here I was trying to get to the bottom of how to paint natural-looking leaves.  Perhaps, the only drawback in working in a series is coming up with an exciting  title each time!

"Hydrangea and Picket Fence" (oil on linen; 6" x 8") sold



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Reference photo

I love hydrangea.  The Chinese characters for this multi-colored flower mean "water chrysanthemum."  Isn't it interesting?  I guess the name has something to do with its cool palette, which ranges from blue, mauve, violet to yellow green.  Yesterday, I went over to Green Spring Gardens Park in Alexandria, VA to take pictures of hydrangea bushes.  I have a couple of them blooming now in my garden; one is so enormous that it should be classified as a tree!  But neither is near a charming picket fence.

Ideally, I should have painted them on location, as I have done last year, when I painted "White Picket Fence".  But I knew better.  The picket fence surrounds the gazebo at the park, which attracts a lot of small children for play.  A few minutes of solitude in the hydrangea heaven was soon distrupted by the invasion of three kids with their moms.  I myself used to take my daughter there for fresh air and exercise when she was a preschooler.  So it was time to pack up.  I painted "Hydrangea and Picket Fence" in my studio, wishing I could see the colors in the shadow better.  Oh, well.

"White Picket Fence" (oil, 11" x 14")
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"Brilliant Lotus" (oil on canvas; 24" x 18") sold

"Brilliant Lotus"
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"Lotus and Dragonfly" (oil, 12" x 9")
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Reference photo

The lotus is one of my favorite flowers and I never get tired of painting them.  Over the years I've painted them in watercolor, acrylic, and oil.  The sculptural flower with the Buddhist association looks great in all mediums.

Last year in early June, the plein-air-painting class with Sara Linda Poly went to the waterlily pond at Green Spring Gardens Park.  My first attempt at painting the lotus from life was a disaster.  The lighting condition, however, was ideal and I came home with several terrific pictures.  The following day, still smarting from the failure, I made another stab at the lotus.  "Lotus and Dragonfly" was the result of my persistence.  Since then, I've painted several more lotus paintings, small and large, and sold them all.

When a favorite client of mine asked me to do a larger version of "Lotus and Dragonfly," I wasn't sure whether it would work.  I tried as he "begged" for it.  And, boy, am I glad I listened!  My initial fear was that the lone lotus flower and yellow green undersides of several lily pads will dominate the painting.  As it turned out, there were enough details in the shadow areas to add depth and nuance to the bold composition. 

In the small version, there was no room for playing; most subtleties had to be sacrificed for the clarity.  Not so for "Brilliant Lotus."  You can look at it for a long time and still find hidden "secrets."  My client didn't want the dragonfly (there are actually three of them in the picture).  So they went, as his wish was my command.  I don't think they would have added much to the abstract beauty of the painting anyway.  It is fun to paint big, using large brushes.  It is also great to have a client with the sophisticated eye who appreciates and is willing to pay for original artwork.  Thank you!

"Glorious Poppies" (oil on linen; 8" x 12") sold

"Glorious Poppies"
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"Red Poppies" (oil, 8" x 12")
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Last summer I spotted gorgeous red poppies at Green Spring Gardens Park in Alexandria, VA.  As I was leaving after a plein-air painting session, I didn't have the time or energy to do another painting.  I took a picture, thinking that I would come back soon.  I did a few days later, but the flowers were all gone!  As the Roman poet Horace said, it's carpe diem or dead flowers.  I had to console myself with the photo, which served as the reference for "Glorious Poppies."

Compare the new painting with "Red Poppies."  The old painting has a merit--soft, dreamy, etc.  But I absolutely prefer "Glorious Poppies"!  I don't know what's happening to me.  I seem to have become bolder, more confident, not afraid of strong contrasts, and so on.  The new one has more depth and interesting "details" too.  When one thinks of red poppies, one does not dream of a  romantic, pastel image, unless he is Claude Monet.  Aren't these papery, blood red flowers all about hot-headed passion?  "Glorious Poppies" fits the bill much better than my earlier attempt, I dare say.

"Dragonfly on Lotus" (oil on linen; 8" x 10") sold

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Reference photo

Two weeks of family vacation and a few days of recuperating from a bad cold put me out of action, but I am back! I hope you who live along the East coast are doing all right despite the Hurricane Irene.

Since I haven't painted for a while, I decided to go easy and do something simple--a painting of a single lotus flower and dragonfly.  If "Dragonfly on Lotus" looks familiar, it's because I have done another painting of the same subject ("Lotus and Dragonfly").  I apologize for repeating myself, but on my defense, by the time I was finished with it, I was all sweaty and had to lie down for my exertions.  I promise to do better next time!

"Lone Lotus" (oil on linen; 12" x 9") sold

sold

Reference photo

Back to the water lily pond at Green Spring Gardens Park in Alexandria, VA.  I have a collector who loves my water lily/lotus paintings and asked me to paint several for his family.  It's always nice to be wanted, so I said yes!  His original request was to paint additional versions (i.e. copies) of "By the Lily Pond".  I did it once, and decided twice was enough.  How can I copy myself on and on, really!  I had a friend who sold a painting at a gallery but ended up doing two more copies of the painting because it was so popular.  I regret that I teased her at that time, because I was now doing exactly the same thing.

Instead, I decided to do a series of new paintings of these majestic flowers; I never get tired of them.  I have faith that either my collector or some other persons will like them enough to buy my creations.  Art is my job, but I want to enjoy the art-making process as long as I live.  It shouldn't become a drudgery, something I have to do pay the bills and send my child to college, and so on. 

By the way, I am going to take a break from blogging for a short while.  I have been working non-stop since last July when I launched my website.  Time to have some fun with my family.  See you in a couple of weeks!

"Sunflowers and Happy Bee" (oil on linen; 9" x 12") sold

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Reference photo

On to way to Lancaster, PA to pick up our daughter at camp, my husband and I stopped by at the rest area in York.  Instead of going in to use the facilities, I dawdled, captivated by these sunflowers.  I was the only person taking pictures of these cheerful flowers; other people were obviously more sensible than I!  Sensible or not, I was as happy as the bee on the flower on the right.  Whenever I find the reference material for future painting projects, I feel like I hit the jackpot.  How small things in life please me!

On the technical note, compare the photo above with my painting.  The photo's colors are predominantly cool yellows and greens; my painting is dominated by warm yellows and violets.  I did that on purpose, pushing the yellows toward the sun and contrasting the yellows with the complementary violets so that the painting would pulsate.  Besides, I love using pure colors out of the tubes: cadmium lemon, yellow light, and yellow medium.  They are toxic--never to be touched or, god forbid, digested--but no other synthetic paints can replace them.  They simply glow.