Two Holstein Cows

9.5x7 mixed media on paper painted today over a realistic pencil sketch. India ink was used with a chopstick to apply color to the black areas.  Watercolor for eyes, noses, the land, and shadows. Montana markers in blue and green used for sky and grass.  Number 23 is my birthday number.  Touches of white gouache put in eyes.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

An Old Bucket of Apples

8x8 watercolor on Masters paper 140 lb cold press done today on an old bucket of mine filled with imaginary apples.  I painted this before and put a porch behind the still life with flowers.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Red Barn Chickens

22x15 watercolor of chickens on the farm pecking around the hay bales below the quintessential red barn.  Just as the rooster crowed to welcome new hot sunny days we are glad to see warmer temperatures in Texas.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Bouquet in Blue and White Vase

4x6 acrylics and white gel pen over alcohol ink background on glossy photo paper completed today, another experiment using different media in imaginary floral applications.  A paper doily stencil was used at the bottom foreground for a tablecloth effect.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Lil’s Lilies

  7x9 watercolor, brush only (no pencil sketch first) of Lil's lilies and some splatters afterward when dry.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Wedding Day 1935

12x6 watercolor on Strathmore 140 lb CP done today for an online challenge.  This is another artist's (Susan) mother on May Day.  Ref was in black and white so color had to be improvised as well as the lawn and rosebush beside the house.  To me her mom might have been wearing a wedding dress, hence the title, but the year was 1935.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

April Hollyhocks

6x3 watercolor miniature floral garden scene on Canson 140 lb cold press paper, brush only, begun yesterday and finished today.  In this imaginary view one can see windows behind the hollyhocks. Some of those tall, old fashioned blooms are double hollyhocks and some are single flowers.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Another Poppy Portrayal

6x6 watercolor and ink on Masters paper, done using Micron 01 pen by Sakura, and Daniel Smith paints. I've used this particular design more than once and always use a different background and foreground.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith.

Earth Day ~ A Common Chipping Sparrow

For earth day this sparrow was perfect at 8x5.5 watercolor on Strathmore Visual Journal.  A pencil drawing was done lightly to mark outlines then watercolor put in over areas wet with #8, #10 round brushes.  A fairly limited palette used of ultramarine and Prussian blues, quinacridones burnt orange and gold, Bice and Periwinkle blues (American Journey).  When dry I used small amounts of white and Coastal Fog (AJ) on the sparrow's breast.  Background is loose and abstract with diagonal lines indicative of branches or twigs; splattering with Blue Bice applied when dry. 
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith.

Contemporary Chickadee

5x7 acrylic on matboard, another in my chickadee series.  For this background I used a detail section of another painting which featured brocade pillows.  With this view there are actually two pillow patterns used.  In designing this bird it took about 2 days; colors are vivid flat shapes with little if any shading.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

One Mad Hen

12x9 Brusho and watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper painted last week for an animal challenge online.  This grumpy hen's face cannot be ignored and she looks ready to peck someone.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Beach Friends

4.5x6.75 watercolor on Bienfang 140 lb cold press paper painted today for an online challenge with WetCanvas.  I liked the greenish hue of the tide waters rolling in and the dark green hat the woman on the right was wearing.  A challenge for me was to make her white clothing show skin.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Funky Flowers

6x13 mixed media collage on paper done today.  Over an alcohol ink underpainting I collaged white and patterned tissue paper and part of a cocktail napkin. When dry, I stamped blue acrylic using a round bottle lid, then color in floral shapes was added using a 1" flat sponge brush in acrylics.  Part of the inks show through. Lastly oil pastels were used as graphic accent marks.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

White Rose Petals

5.25x8 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper sketched today and painted from a WetCanvas refeence photo, courtesy Valri Ary.  We had 2 hours to select an image then get an art done, any medium or style. This rose was probably in a wedding arrangement as it had baby's breath, etc., so I've included only a few of those tiny flowers in the abstract background.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

It's All About Flowers

12x12 alcohol inks on paper done last week using primarily eggplant and lettuce inks.  Dabs of turquoise were made by stamping another paper of blue colors onto wet areas.  I used a chopstick for linear purposes.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Tropical Scene

22x15 watercolor on handmade paper 140 lb cold press paper done wet in wet of a building I photographed in Phoenix, Arizona.  To me the tall palm trees looked tropical so you can imagine water beyond the brick building with its red tile roof.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Abstract Hydrangea Highlights

7x5 alcohol inks on Yupo synthetic paper done recently. As this reminded me of a floral, actually a stained glass one, it was titled as an hydrangea.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Bouquet in Plum Vase

6x4 mixed media on paper done last week over a failed alcohol ink abstract.  Using only a 1" flat foam brush I painted acrylic flowers inside a plum colored vase and when dry used white gel pen for added calligraphy. Roses and tulips along with imaginary blooms make up this bouquet.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Desert Cottontail Rabbit ~ Happy Easter!

8x8 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper done yesterday for a weekend drawing event on WetCanvas! online.  This bunny was painted within the 2 hour time limit.  Happy Easter!
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

War Paint

30x40 acrylics on canvas, an imaginary pair of brown horses that have been decorated with paint in this contemporary semi-abstract painting.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Cotton Candy abstraction

5x7 alcohol inks on Yupo synthetic paper finished today.  Yesterday I began with one pink color then did a pulled print from another ink that was only indigo blue for the dark blues seen here.  Today flamingo pink was added with blending solution and 91% alcohol for mixed, swirled effects created by using canned air in this abstraction.  It reminds me of cotton candy at the fair.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Flamingo vignette

7x9.5 watercolor on paper done yesterday from a larger photo of flamingos.  I isolated one bird and sketched him closer up for a vignette.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

It Will Soon be Easter, Bunny

11x8.5 watercolor and ink line done this past weekend in my Strathmore Journal for mixed media; painted wet on dry with large round brush and colors allowed to mix and run.
COPYRIGHT Kay Smith.

Red Weed Flower

4x6 alcohol inks on paper done recently, an imaginary red bloom on an abstract background.  It also resembles a wild poppy.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

April Baby Bird

12x9 watercolor, Brusho, and Micron 01 pen on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done today and ink sketch yesterday, a semi-blind contour line effort.  This young fledgling is screaming for his breakfast or just saying good morning to us all.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Flowers in Round Red Vase

4x6 mixed media on paper done today, an imaginary floral still life of acrylics over alcohol inks.  The ink version was too abstract so the flower idea was done with a mixed gray on right side for the background and left side is inks as is the red vase.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Yellow Throated Warbler in Spring

6x9 watercolor on Bristol board painted today over pencil sketch for another WetCanvas weekend drawing event (photo courtesy Li Newton).  Artists participating have 2 hours to select an image then paint it hopefully within that time frame.  This one was about 1 hour and 5 minutes total.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Bay Foal

5x9 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done today as an animal/wildlife forum WetCanvas challenge.  I love the fuzzy mane this little fellow has and soft hair so I did an abstract background behind.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Booger cat

8x8 watercolor completed of my cousin's cat Booger whom she had to recently put down due to advanced age.  I tried to show the years of wisdom in her pretty greenish eyes.  This work is SOLD.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Radishes

13x6 watercolor on Strathmore 140 lb paper, some fresh radishes to enjoy in complementary colors of red and green.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith