Ruby Red tuLips

This is yet another adventure working on Aquabord.  I am finding this surface is better when worked in a painterly style as opposed to realism and high detail.  It is a good process to go through as it does help to loosen me up as along as I have large pockets of time to work in.  I find when I grab a few minutes to paint – I work in a tighter manner. 

I love the colours of these flowers, not pink, not red and not orange, but really all shades in between.  Tulips when in full bloom make me happy.  I am not completely sure, but to me they represent free spirits. Out in the early spring, bowing in the wind – leaning into the sun. 

This stand grows in my front garden under an apple tree.  The most challenging thing about gardening with tulips is keeping the deer from eating them completely.  As soon as the stalks are out of the ground, I start applying blood meal.  It does help – I also think a spray of safers soap also keeps the deer from munching. I take a lot of photos as soon as the blooms start to open.  Cliché maybe – but I  really like to get shots of backlit tulips.

Noah - "Learning to Fly"

This is a painting long in the making - I started it forever ago and just finished it this week. I had Noah painted on the swing - painted some of the grass - and finally went in for the face.  Normally I would have started with  his little face - and if that didn't work out for some reason - well, I would either start over or move on. 

This is a painting of the little boy next door - and he is adorable.  I showed the painting to his Grandmother and she turned all red and welled up - you know you have captured the essence of the person when you get a reaction that profound! The painting will be hers!

This watercolor is painted on Arches 300lb paper 12" x 15".