Summer Afternoon Tea, Plein Air in the Artist's Garden

20"x24" oil on gallery wrapped canvas

"If a summer night could talk, it would probably boast that it invented romance."
- Bern Williams


This is the largest one I've painted en plein-air. Usually I save these larger sizes for in the studio, but I've really been enjoying my garden to the max this summer! I hope you do, too!

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Many people have asked me what kind of brushes I use to get such texture. The answer is - I don't....I use a palette knife. Lately I've been using a large one with a rounded tip. It really gathers and moves more paint around, yet even small details are possible with a delicate touch! For the last two afternoons, I've been painting in my garden. Usually there is a rounded wooden bench here, but I dragged the little 'bistro' set out from the back yard. How could I resist? When I bought the flowers for my glass pitcher/jug at the farm market the other day, it was raining & I seriously considered setting up another 'interior view' in my studio window. I had been re-arranging a few furniture pieces for that as well! But Friday it was beautiful & sunny...and today, too - making it possible to finish this painting under similar light (and still make it to the neighborhood picnic for dinner!).

Back to the topic of brushes and knives though....even though I mostly use knives, I'd never get rid of my brushes! There are times when they may be 'just the ticket' for the look you want! Why exclude any tools in your tool-box as a painter? Part of why I paint is that excitement of manipulating the luscious oils and leaving an interesting texture. But composition comes first! It's not about texture alone (otherwise we'd be happy with lumpy linen!).