Sweet Summer Roses

16"x8" oil on linen mounted on archival panel

For more information, or to purchase, click here.  

Wow, the heat wave finally made it to Connecticut! It was pretty steamy even in the shade.  Lucky for that and some lemonade.  Summer goes too fast around here to ignore it just because of the heat.  I was determined to soak it up while I have the chance.  After all, the roses were calling my name! 

Brilliant Susans In The Garden

16"x8" oil on linen mounted on archival panel
For more information, or to purchase, click here.

Humidity's rising, which is perfect weather for swimming if you ask me! This summer has been a real beauty in the garden.  The black-eyed Susans and the peegee hydrangea are loaded with blooms. Some of the roses are making a second round of blooms. Best news of all, one of the roses we transplanted earlier this summer has officially survived, YAY!! It's putting out a few blooms just to prove its worth! It was getting shaded out in its previous location, so it was time to give it a new home! 

Peegees and Coneflowers - SOLD! Big Hydrangea Blossoms!

 

16"x8" oil on linen mounted on archival panel
For more information,  click here. 

"I'm melting! I'm melting! The summer's so hot!

Please spray me with water, I like it a lot!" 

-author unknown

"Summer is not so much a season as a melody, that tune of contentment we hum as the days begin to beautifully blur." - Sarah Ban Breathnach

One of life's greatest pleasures, growing a garden - 

and painting it, too!

***This summer has been great for bounteous blooms in our neck of the woods.  I'm hoping you've enjoyed your summer immensely! 

Sometimes it seems to pass by so quickly. Get your self outside with a glass of lemonade or tea...a good book to read....and a bit of shade.  Enjoy every little bit of time that you can. 

In my opinion, summer in New England is quite a luxury...it's always in short supply (compared to the rest of the year).  Maybe that's why I appreciate it so much! 

Autumn Peegee Hydrangeas - Watercolor Sketchbook Journal

So, here they are in all their autumn glory, Peegee Hydrangeas, which has now grown to a nice 'droop' over the corner of the fence in this part of the garden.  The nice thing is this- in that corner is a little rounded 'Monet' bench. That wonderful mound of flowering hydrangeas gives a nice bit of privacy, yet doesn't block out the street view. I can have my nice bit of quiet, or hail the neighbors walking by for a chat! 

This shrub is one of those interesting ones that changes a lot through the growing season. In mid August it has wonderful cream colored blossoms.

 

And just going back to July 4th, it had no blossoms at all!

I'm truly fortunate to be married to my "Garden Guru"! 

I've had many folks asking about the variety of zinnias from yesterday's blog post.  

They are called "Art Deco" and are from Renee's Seeds.

Even their packaging is wonderful. When we open our order it's like receiving a mini-art collection! 

 

 

It's been a good bit of work to get the corner office with the view, but it has certainly been worth the effort! 

 

Thanks for all your kind comments on the recent blog posts! I always love hearing from you!

 

 

Peegee Hydrangeas ACEO Floral Original Oil Painting

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

Yesterday, I had the wonderful opportunity to complete a commission for a "few more of these hydrangeas". I tickled pink- because I just LOVE these flowers! Can you tell I'm missing summer and having all these blossoms in my yard? Well, "Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus....AND you can have flowers all winter long!"  That's the joy of having art- that wonderful reminder that winter won't last forever, and that wonderful sense of the joy of flowers is hard to resist! 

The other pieces that I completed for the commission were these 2 below, both hydrangeas, some of the blue variety in our yard, as well as Limelight hydrangeas (cuttings from my neighbor)

 

Which brings to mind another thought - if you have a particular flower you enjoy- I'm currently taking commissions for ACEOs - starting at $20. Here's the link to sign up!
 
It has been several years since I have used eBay as a place to sell, but I did enjoy it back in its 'heyday'.  I've begun a new series of ACEOs,  so far all florals - and I knew eBay would be the perfect place to highlight these! These little gems make a perfect gift idea! 

For those of you not familiar with the acronym ACEO, it stands for Art Cards Editions and Originals.  The miniature paintings are the size of a baseball trading card, 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.  This category of art has become increasingly popular on eBay the last couple of years.  These can be displayed on their own, or with a tiny little easel (like the kind you can find in Michaels Arts & Crafts type stores) on a display shelf, or these beautiful gems can be elegantly matted and framed with perhaps a mat of 4 inches wide.  ACEOs also make wonderful gifts!