Sunflower Bouquet

Sunflower Bouquet 9 x 11 watercolor

Last week I purchased a beautiful sunflower bouquet. After admiring it for several days I thought I'd better paint it before the wilt sets in. I love painting sunflowers and I strive to keep the colors fresh and not to get in there and overwork. Isn't is amazing what hard work it is not to overwork? I could sit and diddle with a painting like this for hours. It takes discipline, or maybe a needed trip to the bathroom to stop. I can still see things in the painting that I could change or add, but I'm going to stop. The bouquet had little roses, and small gladiolas along with lots of leafy things to fill in so it really could have been a week long painting but the sunflowers were the stars.

Birthday Bouquet

I love to paint original birthday cards for close friends. Sometimes there just isn't time to get it done and get it in the mail on time. On those times I have to settle for a print of a painting. That seems to work OK, too. People are happy to receive a "real card" in their mailbox instead of an e mail card. So this one was done earlier this summer of some flowers I had from the farmers' market. It got painted on time but also copied so that I can use the bouquet again and again. I like to tell friends and family members that I am glad they were born. Whenever your birthday, I hope it is a happy one.