When the pandemic swept through in 2020, Dan and I found ourselves already ensconced in our Hudson hideaway, feeling incredibly lucky for having escaped the city's bedlam.
You've got it. Adding to the list. They were so fun to do. I took my time after I'd got back from the trip to paint these. It would be interesting to show the speedier 'on location' style I usually adopt verses the more considered style from that post. Food for thought, thank you, Naomi!
I’m so excited by this news. I love your demos and I look forward to your landscapes and flowers in gouache and watercolor.
I would also love book themed demos, like your secret garden painting. I treasure the bookmark you made for the House that Lars Built—and that’s saying something because I have a lot of bookmarks.
Anyhow, I thought it would be fun to paint scenes from classic literature or make bookmarks of the moors for Wuthering Heights, Marianne’s passion for dead leaves in Sense and Sensibility, the tree avenue at Rosing Park in Pride and Prejudice where Darcy gives Elizabeth a letter, etc.
Katherine what a wonderful idea, it could be a nice series for us! I also enjoy a theme and I’m so happy you appreciated the bookmark! It’s so nice to actually speak to people here and connect. I’m already mulling over books in my head, the grand room in Great Expectations…
Oh I can’t wait for these! I think you have such an eye for composition. A lesson focusing on breaking that down would be helpful. As for subjects, I’d love to see more garden paintings or travel locations. Some coastal locations would be fun too.
Thanks so much for the enthusiasm and ideas, Julie! I'm really excited about these too.
A lesson on composition could be really interesting - there's a lot that goes into it that we don't always consciously think about. And I love your suggestions for subjects! Gardens are always a joy to paint, and travel scenes let us capture a bit of adventure. Coastal locations would be a great addition too, maybe I need to plan myself a little trip somewhere;)
I thought of one more recommendation. I can never get enough of roses in my garden and in art. Your rose paintings really capture their beauty. I’m not quite there yet so I plan to paint the roses in the “Grace Rose Farm: Garden Roses” book this winter when I’m missing my garden. It would be incredible to learn from you through a rose series.
Katherine, thank you for the idea. I will never bore of roses as a subject so you're on! There's room for a series here, no doubt. Adding to the list that's starting. I'll have to check out the book you referenced. Maybe I can add a list of Rose books I enjoy to that newsletter series :)
Hi Barbara, thanks for your sweet comment! I'm glad you enjoyed the show. Sadly, there won't be more seasons - the show wasn't picked up for a fourth season. But the good news is that all three seasons are still available to watch on MAX.
It's always a bit bittersweet when a show ends, isn't it? But I'm really grateful for the three seasons we got to make and share with everyone. If you haven't seen all the episodes yet, I hope you'll enjoy diving into them on MAX.
Thanks again for your support - it means a lot to hear from fans like you!
Helen, I participated in the flower-a-day painting group on IG and loved doing it and seeing others work as well. I still have most of my series and other work grew from these - some larger and on canvas. Looking back on this time of isolation and the global pandemic is mind boggling!
I loved seeing all your paintings from that time Gretchen. It was really fun to see all the interpretations from everyone and to connect over our sweet subject matter. Maybe it’s time for another one, just not every day😅
Painting everyday scenes (our homes, garden, neighborhood, local cafe, etc) could be fun. I also loved your paintings from your travels. One time I painted a rather bland view of my backyard but took some artistic license and tried to capture how I felt in my yard (which was rested and so peaceful that day) and I actually enjoyed finding something beautiful in an otherwise boring view.
There's something really special about painting everyday scenes. Familiar places can be a goldmine of artistic inspiration. I know I harp on about him all the time but one of my favorite painters, Jeremy Miranda, is the master of depicting his everyday and giving it total magic.
I love what you did with your backyard painting. Taking a so-called "bland" view and infusing it with how you felt that day. That's the real magic of art right there. You managed to capture not just what you saw, but that sense of peace and rest you were experiencing. You bottled up a perfect moment and now have it on paper.
Frame: horizontal, going over the top of a window that same width. Will take me forever to do it, but I'm committed. A feng shui follower, so no (bathtub water swishing motion) ocean scene going on my walls. Just the crazy green wilds of Hawaii. With maybe some local birds. Of course, wildly colored tropical flowers. And a little green gecko I shared a bowl of tropical fruit and yogurt with one surreal morning. We each kept to our separate sides of the bowl and enjoyed ourselves. He quite possibly enjoyed the yogurt more than I by the look on his face. Oh, and a large, round, teal water feature with water gently bubbling out the top and spilling down to deep green moss. That was a never to be forgotten magical moment listening to the gurgling water at the gardens of a former Buddhist retreat we visited. It's all in my head...but...head to hand is the challenge for a novice watercolorist!!! It's the dense undergrowth and many trees as the fore and background that have me stumped on how to paint without it just becoming a murky mess. I rarely like my first go--at about try #10 I'm a little more satisfied 😎
A gecko enjoying breakfast with you, maybe his first yogurt experience! Made me laugh thinking about the two of you just chilling together. What a fab memory!
Perhaps you give yourself a break and do a few paintings rather that trying to get everything in one, lol. My heads spinning trying to imagine how to get everything in there. It's always interesting trying to depict the mood of a trip away. Sometimes it's just a wash of abstracted colors that do it! Tackling all that lush foliage can be tricky, you're right. Maybe try building up layers gradually, starting light? And don't be too hard on yourself - even pros often need multiple attempts to get things just right.
This is probably not of interest to most people...but I'm very interested in learning to paint thick groupings of green trees with a tropical bent, interspersed with tropical flowers. Husband and I went to Hawaii a few months ago. I impulsively bought a beautiful, mottled dark green 4 ft x 1 ft frame online to hang above a window in my study. Plan was to paint from my photos and memory. Then life got in the way and I haven't touched it since. Meanwhile the frame calls from my closet!
Maria, I love that you already have the perfect place for the piece! Interesting frame size too, do you think you’ll go vertical with it?I love a tropical forest for one of our demos, it’s going in ‘the hat’.
I love the paintings you did of your trip to Europe and would love to see a demo of how you paint scenes
You've got it. Adding to the list. They were so fun to do. I took my time after I'd got back from the trip to paint these. It would be interesting to show the speedier 'on location' style I usually adopt verses the more considered style from that post. Food for thought, thank you, Naomi!
Yes, it would be great to see both. I love on location sketches.
I’m so excited by this news. I love your demos and I look forward to your landscapes and flowers in gouache and watercolor.
I would also love book themed demos, like your secret garden painting. I treasure the bookmark you made for the House that Lars Built—and that’s saying something because I have a lot of bookmarks.
Anyhow, I thought it would be fun to paint scenes from classic literature or make bookmarks of the moors for Wuthering Heights, Marianne’s passion for dead leaves in Sense and Sensibility, the tree avenue at Rosing Park in Pride and Prejudice where Darcy gives Elizabeth a letter, etc.
Katherine what a wonderful idea, it could be a nice series for us! I also enjoy a theme and I’m so happy you appreciated the bookmark! It’s so nice to actually speak to people here and connect. I’m already mulling over books in my head, the grand room in Great Expectations…
Ooh, great idea! I love how the room was portrayed in the 1998 movie with all those windows. Now I want to rewatch the movie and reread the book.
I loved the soundtrack for that movie version too!
That sounds so fun!
Oh I can’t wait for these! I think you have such an eye for composition. A lesson focusing on breaking that down would be helpful. As for subjects, I’d love to see more garden paintings or travel locations. Some coastal locations would be fun too.
Thanks so much for the enthusiasm and ideas, Julie! I'm really excited about these too.
A lesson on composition could be really interesting - there's a lot that goes into it that we don't always consciously think about. And I love your suggestions for subjects! Gardens are always a joy to paint, and travel scenes let us capture a bit of adventure. Coastal locations would be a great addition too, maybe I need to plan myself a little trip somewhere;)
I thought of one more recommendation. I can never get enough of roses in my garden and in art. Your rose paintings really capture their beauty. I’m not quite there yet so I plan to paint the roses in the “Grace Rose Farm: Garden Roses” book this winter when I’m missing my garden. It would be incredible to learn from you through a rose series.
Katherine, thank you for the idea. I will never bore of roses as a subject so you're on! There's room for a series here, no doubt. Adding to the list that's starting. I'll have to check out the book you referenced. Maybe I can add a list of Rose books I enjoy to that newsletter series :)
Woohoo! This just made my day. I’d love a list or your recommended rose books too.
I hope the Magnolia Network puts your shows back on!
Hi Barbara, thanks for your sweet comment! I'm glad you enjoyed the show. Sadly, there won't be more seasons - the show wasn't picked up for a fourth season. But the good news is that all three seasons are still available to watch on MAX.
It's always a bit bittersweet when a show ends, isn't it? But I'm really grateful for the three seasons we got to make and share with everyone. If you haven't seen all the episodes yet, I hope you'll enjoy diving into them on MAX.
Thanks again for your support - it means a lot to hear from fans like you!
Helen, I participated in the flower-a-day painting group on IG and loved doing it and seeing others work as well. I still have most of my series and other work grew from these - some larger and on canvas. Looking back on this time of isolation and the global pandemic is mind boggling!
I loved seeing all your paintings from that time Gretchen. It was really fun to see all the interpretations from everyone and to connect over our sweet subject matter. Maybe it’s time for another one, just not every day😅
Painting everyday scenes (our homes, garden, neighborhood, local cafe, etc) could be fun. I also loved your paintings from your travels. One time I painted a rather bland view of my backyard but took some artistic license and tried to capture how I felt in my yard (which was rested and so peaceful that day) and I actually enjoyed finding something beautiful in an otherwise boring view.
Love these ideas Ann. Thank you.
There's something really special about painting everyday scenes. Familiar places can be a goldmine of artistic inspiration. I know I harp on about him all the time but one of my favorite painters, Jeremy Miranda, is the master of depicting his everyday and giving it total magic.
I love what you did with your backyard painting. Taking a so-called "bland" view and infusing it with how you felt that day. That's the real magic of art right there. You managed to capture not just what you saw, but that sense of peace and rest you were experiencing. You bottled up a perfect moment and now have it on paper.
Frame: horizontal, going over the top of a window that same width. Will take me forever to do it, but I'm committed. A feng shui follower, so no (bathtub water swishing motion) ocean scene going on my walls. Just the crazy green wilds of Hawaii. With maybe some local birds. Of course, wildly colored tropical flowers. And a little green gecko I shared a bowl of tropical fruit and yogurt with one surreal morning. We each kept to our separate sides of the bowl and enjoyed ourselves. He quite possibly enjoyed the yogurt more than I by the look on his face. Oh, and a large, round, teal water feature with water gently bubbling out the top and spilling down to deep green moss. That was a never to be forgotten magical moment listening to the gurgling water at the gardens of a former Buddhist retreat we visited. It's all in my head...but...head to hand is the challenge for a novice watercolorist!!! It's the dense undergrowth and many trees as the fore and background that have me stumped on how to paint without it just becoming a murky mess. I rarely like my first go--at about try #10 I'm a little more satisfied 😎
A gecko enjoying breakfast with you, maybe his first yogurt experience! Made me laugh thinking about the two of you just chilling together. What a fab memory!
Perhaps you give yourself a break and do a few paintings rather that trying to get everything in one, lol. My heads spinning trying to imagine how to get everything in there. It's always interesting trying to depict the mood of a trip away. Sometimes it's just a wash of abstracted colors that do it! Tackling all that lush foliage can be tricky, you're right. Maybe try building up layers gradually, starting light? And don't be too hard on yourself - even pros often need multiple attempts to get things just right.
P.S. In tropical painting in watercolor....
You’ve got it!😘
This is probably not of interest to most people...but I'm very interested in learning to paint thick groupings of green trees with a tropical bent, interspersed with tropical flowers. Husband and I went to Hawaii a few months ago. I impulsively bought a beautiful, mottled dark green 4 ft x 1 ft frame online to hang above a window in my study. Plan was to paint from my photos and memory. Then life got in the way and I haven't touched it since. Meanwhile the frame calls from my closet!
Maria, I love that you already have the perfect place for the piece! Interesting frame size too, do you think you’ll go vertical with it?I love a tropical forest for one of our demos, it’s going in ‘the hat’.