Garden Sketches - Roses, Lavender, Peonies; all the favorites!

My favorite time of year here in New England - summer, glorious summer! This climbing rose is the most fragrant thing, right by our front door! The little nest had been abandoned, and built within the canes of the rose, mid-way up the pillar! Isn't that a romantic little home? Except for it being in a rather busy spot...and later being blown out by a storm! Now, as for the sketchbook itself, it's made by Nujabi, from India, and is a very soft beautiful handmade paper with a deckled edge. It used to be my favorite paper. But I've found one that I like much, much more! (which I'll talk about in a later post). I've been enjoying using a Lamy Joy fountain pen to draw with, and use a variety of watercolors (Winsor Newton, Daniel Smith, M. Graham). In some areas with finer detail I use a Pitt permanent pen.

The front garden is so inviting! I love being in this area! The fragrances are wonderful, and when one plant goes out of bloom, another is just coming into bloom! The peonies have just gone by, the roses are still hanging in there, and the lavender is just bursting open! Oh the color and fragrance!

We have 2 different varieties of peonies, one is pink and the other white (but do I remember the names?, no, that's what I depend on my garden guru hubby to do for me!...I remember the fragrance and color!).  The white variety in the front garden is heavenly! 

 Just a nice spot to sit for a short while...not to linger very long. But it certainly is inviting to come home to!

The pale pink rose is along the fence, it took a hit from a winter thaw followed by a snow storm. During the thaw, it was just long enough for things to start budding. Froze back most of my hydrangeas, too. The darker pink rose is wonderfully fragrant, and a lovely climber. We've trained it up the pillar on the front porch. 

 One of my lavender varieties, the darker purple Hidcoate is beautiful! I just love the color! It's shorter in height than the lavender grosso variety we are also growing, but the fabulous color certainly makes up for that! What are your favorite garden plants? I have to admit - our gardens have turned out to be so satisfying! The work never ends, but the results are so delightful!

Grow In To Beauty - Orchids

 

I've gotten more mileage out of this orchid...it has been my favorite thing to paint this winter! It has held up under "stage lights" in poses of all directions! This one (or two as it is a dyptich) can be hung together....or separately...as I wrote the words so that they would make sense either way.

Here's another studio view:

 

Make a habit of finding beauty where ever you can...and bring it where it needs to be! Share it with others, along with your beautiful smile!

"Red Pitcher of Daisies" - ACEO - Miniature Floral Oil Painting

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

(link to auction is scheduled to go 'live' at 5:30pm EST)

 

For those of you not familiar with the acronym ACEO, it stands or 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 king 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 (truly royal on a linen covered mat, just ask your framer!!). ACEOs make wonderful gifts! The gift of original art is truly a thoughtful treasure! I had less than a handful of these tiny ACEO canvases...so I do hope you win the auction bid on your favorite one!

It seems I only have time to do these little gems at Christmas- perfect for me as I wind down a busy year of larger works, and perfect for YOU as a great opportunity for original art at a truly affordable price.  These daisies were cut just before the first big frost here in my New England garden, the same day I cut a huge batch of zinnias as well.   I knew I couldn't paint them all in a day, so I used every last one to put in a variety of vases, to paint summer flowers later in my studio.  These are wonderful little studies for larger paintings. 

 

Today the snow is falling outside, and I'm so glad I have these paintings and photos to remind me that summer will be here once again...in all its colorful glory!

 

 

Zinnias To Brighten a Gray Day, ACEO Floral Original Oil

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

 

Each year my hubby starts lots of seeds, but some of my favorites are the zinnias! They are great for cutting to make arrangements and look great in the garden, too! He reminds me to keep cutting them, as the more I cut, the more blossoms they'll put out! How could a gardener, painter find anything more fun?!

 

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!   

 

Geranium Dance Floral ACEO Floral Oil Painting

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

  This pot of geraniums has been one of my favorites. I've been able to 'overwinter' it in my garage for a couple of winters now. As long as I can keep it from freezing, I know I'll have some great blooms next summer! It is one of the most forgiving, yet extremely cheery plants on my summer deck!

  

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!

Summer Medley, Hydrangeas & Sweet Peas ACEO Floral Oil

3.5"x2.5" oil on fine canvas board

Bidding starts at just $1

This summer was wonderful with all the fantastic blossoms.  This is our fourth year in our garden and things are really starting to look lush! The hydrangeas are some of my favorites- but this summer I started making arrangements out of them and adding other things, like astilbe, sweet peas, and Lady's Mantle- which is sort of a lemony- green that makes those purply- blues just POP! (Can you tell I'm missing summer?).

  

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!

New Calendar for 2013 - Remains of the Day 2013

I've been away traveling down to Virginia Beach, VA for PleinAir 757 - more about that in tomorrow's post. I came home just in time to greet Hurricane Sandy - and proceed to lose power! We are still without power, and now that it's the third day of this mess, I've begun to locate places that DO have power and internet to get some blogging done! But the best news - my 2013 calendars are ready to ship to you, in plenty of time for Christmas, OR that gift to yourself- Just $20 for a YEAR's worth of art to enjoy! And, my gift to you is FREE shipping through December. Click through to my website to see a preview of each calendar page, and to place your order!