Textured Gesso Barn

My textured gesso and watercolor barn for Mary Jean, part of a trade on atcsforall.com

Red Barn 5×7 canvas panel

Steps 1 – 4: textured gesso background and first layers of watercolor wash

Steps 5 – 8: Continued layers of watercolor; adding pencil shading, more layers of watercolor and charcoal shading. 

In between final layers with charcoal and pencil, I added spray fixative, and ended with several coats of spray sealer.  

Whimsical Flowers

Whimsical Flowers Mixed Media

Sunflower

Sunflower 

Gesso and Watercolor Abstract

From the archives

Mid Spring – Works in Progress

A gesso-watercolor abstract painting in progress. Blue flowers… my intent was to create pansies, however that may change as I get into the details. This is with the first layer of color on the leaves. More color will go on the leaves, and then I’ll start on the details. That part is always scary… what if I muck it up? 🙂
It felt good to get back to these paintings, I’ve been ignoring them for a bit but the muse finally wanted to work on them again. Yay! If I keep the momentum, I’ll have several done in the next few days. We’ll see. It’s hard to be in the studio when the sun is shining!


I did start this painting today, outdoors on the deck. Inspired by the Lewisia we have in pots near the table where we were sitting and finishing our (caffeine free) iced tea.

It doesn’t look like much, and I’ve already decided I should have made it taller (rather than square) as the flower stems are much higher in real life. However, this will be an abstract, so I will take poetic license.


And from the garden this lovely day: 

Red Coral Bells

On another note,
a finished piece from last summer is now in my Etsy Shop:

Digital Poppy 5×5 print

Sharing today with Paint Party Friday, hosted by Eva and Kristin

Red Tulip

ACEO: Red Tulip natureswalkstudio.com

Red Tulip! An original ACEO textured painting celebrating spring. 

My tulips are not blooming yet, however their leaves are beginning to appear and I’m dreaming of warmer weather. Come on Spring, kick into gear! 🙂

And if you’re in Western Washington, the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival goes through the month April. We usually make a days excursion of driving by the fields to view the tulips and daffodils, and also the art shows that are held during the festival. One of these years I’ll have art on display at one of them. 🙂 

Sharing with Paint Party Friday, hosted by Eva and Kristin.

Whats in my Studio… Or Painting on the Road

Poppies – Work in Progress

Poppies: A gesso and watercolor work in progress while on the road. This has been done in stages. I started in Mesa, Arizona just after the art retreat I attended. The other layers were added in Eureka California while hubby was watching the Super Bowl. 

WIP’s drying on the hotel floor

May I add that this particular carpeting was the most unattractive of the hotels we’ve stayed in this trip. Everything else was quite adequate and accommodating. 🙂

I had to share the sunset from our hotel room window this evening (Monday). We’ve been to the dry desert area of Mesa and Yuma Arizona, and are finishing our trip driving up Highway 101 on the California and Oregon coast. 

Fellow WOYWW folks… note that we’ll be arriving home after a long drive about the time this posts, and I’ll be a very tired girl. I will catch up with you all as soon as I’ve had a really good sleep in my own bed. 


Check out what others have on their workdesks  Julie’s What’s on Your Workdesk Wednesday. 

What's In My Studio

A bit of what I’m working on this week… 

Purple Cone Flower abstract WIP

I also have about a gazillion little canvases destined for the Holiday Arts Festival… this little pile is in the beginning background stage. More on this later. 

What are you working on this week? 

Sharing with Artist Studio Day and What’s on your Work Desk. 

What's in my Studio

This week I’ve been working on some abstract gesso and watercolor paintings, inspired by my garden… The sunflowers are in full glorious bloom! (Have I mentioned I’m quite fond of sunflowers?)

Here are a couple of the works in progress.

The flowers textures are gesso “paintings”. I’m in the process of adding watercolor paint on top of the gesso. A few more layers, and then the finishing work begins. This technique was learned from Carla Sonheim.

I’ll have finished pieces to share shortly. 

Miniature Red Tulip

Red Tulip Miniature Art

Red Tulip Painting. Watercolor over gesso. Miniature art canvas now for sale in my Etsy shop. 

Sharing with the wonderful artists at Paint Party Friday, hosted by Eva and Kristin. 

Spring flowers

Tulips and Crocus blooming for a local Artist Trading Card trade. These were created using a technique learned in Carla Sonheim’s Flower Crazy class, with gesso and watercolor paints. Most fun!

Have a wonderful Friday! 

Sharing with the folks at Paint Party Friday, hosted by Eva and Kristin.
Also sharing with Artists in Blogland