Small paintings of a small island 2

Painting a gazebo is not an easy task, especially when it's only 2.5 inches square. As I look at my photo I think it looks a little "catywumpus". (Is that a real word or something my husband made up?) Anyway, I think it may require a "do over" with more careful drawing. The gazebo seemed to be more ornamental than functional; there were no chairs where one could sit and enjoy the view of the water. It made a nice shady spot and would be a wonderful place to sit and read a book or sip an iced tea.

Small paintings of a small island.

I'm doing a series of very small paintings using a type of watercolor that is opaque; gouache (it rhymes with squash). This scene was from a picture I took on an island off the gulf coast called Useppa. It's a private island but you can get permission to be on the island and have lunch at the hotel if you are not a regular guest. It's very "old Florida" laid back, cute cottages and a little path around the island. This part of the path goes in between a banyan tree. The banyan spreads by sending roots down from the upper limbs. If these tendrils are not cut, the tree will grow immense and choke out other vegitation. This little painting is only 2.5 inches square. It will go in a frame with two other small paintings from the same island. Those will come later.

Happy New Year!

The Dominica canal

I am blessed to live on water. It's man-made water but water, still. It's a 130 ft wide fresh water canal. It's on this canal that we see the kingfishers, osprey, bald eagles, annhingas, and a variety of herons. It's miles of fresh water so you can take a boat out on it as some of our neighbors do, but you can't access the Gulf of Mexico, there are damns that block that. I'm going to try to get an evening shot of the Christmas lights that are across the canal at night. They reflect on the water and they are quite lovely.