Abundance

Abundance

11x14, soft pastel

While scouting out locations to paint during the Eagle Plein Air Festival, I toured a nearby iris garden. Two small boys were also walking through the garden trailing far behind their mother.  She told them not to pick the flowers as they made their way down the pathway.  It must have been quite a vantage point to view the blooming garden at eye level, a sea of color, an abundance of life.

Tea Rose

Tea Rose

8x6 soft pastel

Sometimes the simple things in life are the sweetest.  A little bud from a gorgeous rose bush...simply sweet!

Weeds For Sale...Pick Your Own

Weeds For Sale...Pick Your Own

9x9, soft pastel

During the cold winter months a few people from the plein air group I recently joined meet on Wednesdays to paint in a local greenhouse (Edwards Greenhouse in Boise).  This painting was from our first week.  I painted the scene because the sign made me smile.  There were lots of colorful flowers and grasses surrounding the bench...but not a weed in site! 

Summer Color At The Botanical Garden

Summer Color At The Botanical Garden

7x7, soft pastel

Day 5 of 30

I don't know...this is sort of a landscape isn't it?  In any event, during my last trip to the Botanical Garden in Boise, Idaho I spotted this pretty little scene.  Outside the administrative office were these vibrant flowers just bursting with color.  These gorgeous flowers are cannas.  I love how the red and orange blossoms and the green foliage compliment the blue window.  Yummy color!  

Rainy Day Irises

Rainy Day Irises

11x9, soft pastel

Even though it was a rainy day at the Botanical Garden, the irises were spectacular!  I love how the background grasses were lit up on this particular day.  They really accentuating the purple blooms.

Botanical Garden -1

Botanical Garden - 1

10x8, soft pastel

Last week I attended my very first plein air "paint out" with the Plein Air Painters of Idaho aka PAPI along with my friend Tina.   I should say we attempted to paint out....but mostly, we got soaking wet and cold each day...freezing cold.   Since we are both pastelist we didn't paint much but took quite a few reference photos and attended a short workshop.  This is my one and only painting for that event.  I was going to "finish it" when I got home but decided to leave it "as is" so I can consider it a 100% plein air painting...a benchmark for future plein air paintings.

Oh yes....I didn't mention that I also broke my camera because of all the rain (guess I need a waterproof one).   And then THIS happened...(note to self...don't take your very best pastels outside to paint).  It was a very expensive plein air event for me...but fun anyway!

Early Morning on the Patio

Early Morning on the Patio

9x9, soft pastel 

I couldn't resist painting this one...although it was a bit more time consuming than I initially thought it would be.  Fortunately I didn't try to paint it during the 30 in 30 Challenge.  This one took a couple days.  I love how the early morning sunlight was just coming up over the neighbor's fence...casting sunlight on the table and vase of flowers.  I also like the square format and the way the patio leads to a back gate and into the grassy area behind it.