My Flower Garden

My Flower Garden
My Flower Garden

I have begun this painting by using charcoal to sketch the little flowers I can see from the verandah – drawing in plein aire, so to speak. I don’t want this drawing to formulate the painting – even though I have sketched an idea, I want the oil paints to take over and dictate the composition. I think it is interesting to watch the progression of a painting, and sometimes it changes totally. The size of the canvas won’t change though – this one is 75cm by 90cm.

Garden flowers in pots

Garden flowers
I have developed a new sense of interest in my garden flowers and vegetables. Most of the small flowers are in pots. I have always enjoyed cottage gardens and the rambling nature of them – I have tried to create that sense of randomness. I don’t know the names of all the flowers but love the pansies, geraniums, seaside daisies, succulents and the jade bush. I am using my garden in a new painting – to me the flowers give me pleasure and I want that feeling to be transported into my painting.

Pansies and Geraniums

Pansies and Geraniums
Pansies and Geraniums 60 X 40 cm; oil on canvas

 I have been planting vegetables and seedlings in the garden – there have been lots of pansies growing and I always love geraniums. It inspired me to paint my view of the garden from the verandah and the kitchen window. Pansies have such happy faces and I wanted the painting to be filled with joy.

View from my studio

This is the first of my blog pages – one of my 2017 NYE resolutions.

My studio has moved to a different part of our verandah – it has been reorganised ready for creative urges in oil painting mostly but whatever occurs.

Here’s the view across and down to the road but there are no cows in this photo – will take more later.

Uralba
Uralba – view from my studio