Day 29 - 30/30 Challenge - Trying to Finish Strong (Painting 24)

Summer's Last Stand

8.5" x 10", watercolor, $100

Will be available in my Etsy shop soon - If you are interested, please leave me a message below.

This was my first painting on Saturday at Planting Fields. There was a woman named Susan painting on the other side of the path, looking at the other side of the archway. We had a great morning chatting about all the fabulous places to paint and hike on Long Island. 

The flower beds are overflowing with goldenrod (? could be something more domestic?) asters, and some other pretty yellow flowers. The honey bees and little bumble bees were everywhere gathering pollen from the last of the summer flowers. 

There was so much to look at, I had to do a preliminary sketch before starting. 

In progress.

Looking at the scene

Susan and her painting.

Susan's view.

It seemed like all of a sudden the light and shadows changed dramatically. It was time to take a break, get something to eat, and find another spot to paint. (See day 28.)

Day 6 - 30/30 MYA Challenge + Chelsea Center & Planting Fields Arboretum

Today's Challenge is to make a badge for your blog or website. I've already got a bunch of links on the right side here, I don't have a website – yet – so I thought I'd make a specific link to the Original Art section of my Etsy Shop.

So off to ippicy.com to make one. (The truth is, I can make this in photoshop with no problem, but I thought I'd try out the interface.) It's a great  site/tool if you don't have Photoshop or similar and need to create a collage or a web button, correct an image, play with effects, add type or a frame, etc.
Upload a picture (or use one from the collage assignment), choose edit, and you are given lots of photoshop-like editing choices. Click along the top and the options for that category will come up on the left. When you have what you want, just click save.
Voila! Here it is - and you can see where I put it on the right side.

Walking and Painting at Chelsea Mansion & Planting Fields Arboretum
After getting some work done yesterday, I went off to enjoy some sunshine.
Walked around Chelsea Mansion for a while. (Here's more on Chelsea.)

I always wonder what the grounds once looked like. This is near that hidden gazebo, 

and the little hidden pet cemetery. 

The mansion (and it's reflection) are so pretty. 

There were Canada Geese and Mallards, a couple of HUGE turtles (not snapping turtles). 

Catbirds and cardinals were singing and the chipping sparrows were checking the apple tree blossoms for all sorts of little bugs.

It's nice to see they've fixed the fountains. All the lions around the outer edge were spurting water.

The old greenhouse. 

I didn't have time to paint as they close the gates at 4:30. :-(

So, off to Planting Fields Arboretum. How beautiful is this dogwood?

There were lots of people there. So many weddings wandering through, enjoying the beautiful day and the next wave of trees - lilacs and dogwoods, cherry and apple trees and the last of the daffodils are in bloom. The fountains in the formal gardens were working here too. 

I found a quieter spot on a bench, looking back towards the house.

I tried to keep it simple, but did a nice pencil drawing first.

After about an hour, here's where I was at. 

Be sure to check my facebook page for a better look at the sketch/painting.

Time to go. On the way out, I noticed that the rhododendrons are just about ready to burst. 

I'm looking forward to that!

There's more on Planting Fields Here