Red Tulips

This is kind of just for fun.   I did it from a photo of tulips.  The medium is watercolor on canvas board treated with absorbant ground. The size is 12" x 12." I changed the composition a little so that it would touch all four sides.

Daffodils

It's Spring and I'm stuck inside.  I was yearning for some daffodils.  Last week, Louisa went to Eastern Market where they (usually) have florists and garden plants for sale, but there were no flowers available.  A couple of days later she went to the local hardware store Frager's which also has a garden shop.  She found daffodils in a pot for me---six cheerful daffodils.  I did this little painting as a thank you card....I'm not sure why I chose to paint only one daffodil.  It might have something to do with feeling a little isolated, though I have found many things to do to keep busy.  They were really appreciated.

Peter Bug - Capitol Hill Icon

Here's another one of my favorite neighborhood people.  Peter Bug does shoe repair.  More than that, he takes "at risk" youth and teaches them howto do it and how to work with others.  I think he's closed now due to the DC "stay at home" orders.  He had a heart attack last May but recovered and honored those who saved him.  He did go back to work.  I just hope he's OK now.

I did this because, with some of my artist friends, we are working on paintings of local spots and icons for a display in the new offices of Capitol Hill Village.  I am not sure it will fit in with what we're doing, but it was a picture I got off the internet and I really enjoyed doing it, especially the grey in the hair, beard and mustache.

Koi

Here's a painting that I did over a month ago, but never posted here.  It was quite a challenge, but I am happy with the result.  I did it from a picture I took several years ago at the National Arboretum.  I like the bubbles!

April 8 Draw a Bird

I completely forgot about posting my April bird for Draw a Bird Day.  It is a Robin.....Happy Spring, even though it doesn't seem too happy with the Coronavirus "mitigation."  I have mostly stayed inside, but haven't done as much painting as I thought I would.   The "Stay at Home" directive is extended until May 15....so I think I will get more painting done in the next month than I have in the past month.

Draw a Bird - California Quail

I am in a group that draws or paints or sculpts a bird every month.  Draw a bird day is on the 8th, so I am a little early this month.  We choose our own birds.  This month I chose a California Quail.  They are so fat and I liked the coloring on the photo of this one.  The background is created by saran wrap on watercolor paint.  When it's dry, the saran wrap comes off and leaves an unpredictable pattern....but kind of leafy, in this case. 

I particularly enjoyed doing this painting because it brought back fun memories of my uncle John Davis.  He raised and protected the quails on his riverfront property in Anderson, California.  A good man!!!

Painting with Friends at the US Botanic Garden

I had a fun experience at the US Botanic Garden last Friday.  I've been busy since then, and only now am I posting it.  Several of the artists from Capitol Hill Art League gathered for a couple of hours of sketching and the orchids were amazing..as was everything else.  Karen Cohen organized it and also took this picture.  She is an amazing photographer and you can see more of her work at https://karencohen.photoshelter.com.   I can't get a better picture.  I did this watercolor sketch without pencil and sort of just fooled around with shapes.  It was fun to do it that way.  We plan to do it again...there's plenty of places in DC to enjoy.