Bearded Iris ~ purple and white

Bearded iris ~ purple and white

(unknown variety)

colored pencil on hot pressed watercolor paper

Framed size ~ 16" x 20"

This particular iris is a special plant given to me by my late mother-in-law. Martha was quite a gardener. Her beds always put me to shame as we were neighbors for quite a few years. ;) But we always had gardening in common and I treasured that relationship. She had given me starts of this beautiful iris to add to my own garden collection. I loved the striking contrast between the white top and deep purple falls.

"While weeding the garden one day..."

"While weeding the garden one day...", a photo by Art by Cheryl on Flickr.

Back in the garden....artistically speaking, that is...
As the temperature took a dive far below freezing a few days ago and the wind blew and the snow came down, I thought it would be good to start the new year off thinking about warmer times.

I started this piece 13 years ago--hardly seems possible! I call it "While weeding the garden one day..." The inspiration? ~ I was weeding the flower border one summer morning and looked up to see the zinnias in all their glory up against the blue sky. It was a stunning sight.

While I do love the winter, I am also looking forward to spring and a new growing season to inspire and record in my artwork.

"While weeding the garden one day..." ~  14" x 10" ~ colored pencil on Stonehenge paper

Winter

Now that the busy Christmas season is over for another year, I'm looking forward to entering the winter months with a long list of art projects. Some will be revisited for minor tweaking, like a landscape I've had on my wall that's been begging me to add "something". Others I hope to begin new ~ lake scenes in pastel and acrylic and an idea I've been kicking around for mini canvases. We'll see where that goes.....


Today I finally brought out the holly branches, pictured here, that I cut from a friend's bushes more than a month ago. I am amazed at how well they kept with a damp paper towel wrapped around them in a bag in the refrigerator. I'm sure my family will be delighted to have it out of the way. I can't tell you how many times I heard, "What is this plant doing in here!?!" Ah,well..... But I am excited to once again be working on something green and living. The rest of the winter's botanical work will most likely be pine cones, shells and autumn leaves. So much to choose from to keep me busy til the warm, spring weather of April and May brings out the first of the flowers in my garden to be looked at with artwork in mind.

Small Wonders

When I want to emphasize the intricacy and design of a small subject, I sometimes draw them with a sepia colored pencil on acid-free cream Mi Tientes paper. There is so much to be seen in these "small wonders". They are framed in locally handcrafted pine frames in sizes 5", 4" and 3" square. Other drawings in the works include pinecones, morel mushrooms, jack-in-the-pulpit and whatever else I might find on the forest floor.

Spring Flowers

The flowers in my gardens were so beautiful this spring I just couldn't resist painting a few. They are each 5"x7" framed in a 10"x12" narrow oak frame with a cream top and green inside mat.

These pieces are also available as giclee reproductions.

Fruit of the Vine

"Fruit of the Vine" ~9x20 Colored pencil

We have grapevines planted below our garden. I walked by them almost daily, but one day the 'ordinary' caught my eye and I saw them as a painting. They are rendered in colored pencil with shades of gray and indigo, then several more layers of color are applied on top of this base.