Quiet Stream

6x6 watercolor on 80 lb sketchbook paper from Master's Touch with Daniel Smith paints done last week before leaving on a trip. This imaginary stream with its rocks and brush was inspired by a recent acrylic titled Freshwater Stream and Rocks. With no photo ref I quickly put in a large rock and yellow gold foliage along with minimal water. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Another Cock of the Walk

7x9 watercolor using White Nights paints done last week while in the mountains. This is in my Master's Touch sketchbook, 80 lb paper. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Ruidoso Redhot Pokers

10.5x7 watercolor on 140 lb cold press Strathmore paper of redhot pokers I photographed years ago in Ruidoso's upper canyon area. These were growing by rocks at the log cabin lodging where we were staying in 1993. This is one of the first paintings as I was learning watercolor. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith

Alto Windowbox

5.5x8.5 watercolor using White Nights paints done last week on Canson 117 lb cold press paper. I used a quick snapshot of one of the Alto Lakes new fitness center flower boxes on a sunny morning; this photo and others from there are featured on this month's WetCanvas Floral/Botanical challenge. I enjoyed painting the purple petunias, red geraniums, and coleus leaves. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Apple Assortment

5.5x8.5 watercolor using White Nights paints on speckled paper done last week while in New Mexico, a simple apple fruit still life of these delicious wonders. Ref courtesy online site Creative Spark. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Saguaro Sunflower Bouquet

9x7 mixed media collage on paper from 80 lb sketchbook done last week. I used watercolor, acrylics, alcohol inks collage, ink pen (STA Lictin 0.8 pen. Two different alcohol ink florals were cut up and arranged on top of the cactus before gluing them. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Florence Australian Shepherd

6x6 watercolor over pencil drawing in Masters Touch sketchbook 80 lb paper done last week or so from a photo I took of nephew's dog Florence, a very sweet girl. This is one of the photos shared with the art association to try over the summer months. Daniel Smith paints. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Troublesome Thunderhead

6x6 watercolor in sketchbook of 80 lb paper, Masters Touch, done last week as a quick demo for art students. With these cloud series paintins, each one is different and challenging yet fun. No references are used. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Kitten Butterfly

6x6 watercolor on paper in Masters Touch sketchbook done last week; this is on 80 lb paper, a cute kitten watching a butterfly on its nose. Daniel Smith paints were used. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Catching Waves

9x6 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done over the past weekend for another WetCanvas Weekend Drawing Event, a timed exercise of 2 hours. Ref courtesy of the artist host; this is her son getting ready to ride the surf waves. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Freshwater Stream and Rocks

6x9 acrylics on 140 lb cold press Canson wc paper done over the past weekend. This was for another online WetCanvas challenge in the Acrylics forum where the host gave us the topic of water and rocks. Using my own photo of a freshwater stream I have tried to make it appear natural in this landscape. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Ewe and Me

6x6 watercolor on paper in Masters Touch sketchbook, 80 lb archival page. Ref courtesy WetCanvas host for August Animal Wildlife challenge, Pat. I've focused on the ewe sheep and her baby lamb and simplified the background. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in junk journal

5.25x8.25 mixed media portrait of actor Val Kilmer playing Doc Holliday in the movie Tombstone. I used ink pen to sketch, watercolor and acrylics. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Daisy at Dusk

6x6 watercolor on 80 lb paper in Masters Touch sketchbook done last week or so ago, using Daniel Smith paints including Moonglow. This daisy is from one of mine growing in New Mexico. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Thunderstorm Tide

7x9 watercolor on paper done last week, another in my imaginary seascape clouds series. I used Masters Touch 80 lb paper in spiral sketchbook and Daniel Smith paints. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

August Owl

6x6 watercolor on 80 lb sketchbook paper in Masters Touch book done last week. As another online challenge, ref courtesy of the host artist who believes this owl is a barred species. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Pending Rain

6x6 watercolor in Masters Touch 80 lb sketchbook, another imaginary rain clouds skyscape over water. This was a quick and short demo for my class on clouds recently. Last night we did have rain at home. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Paris Cafes

7x9 watercolor over ink line sketch on paper in sketchbook done last weekend for another WetCanvas Weekend Drawing Event as hosted by Maureen. I used STA Lictin 0.3 and 0.5 ink pens in Masters Touch book which was about 1 hour. Adding color later made the cafe scene on a Paris street come alive in this cityscape. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Charming Cactus

8x5.25 watercolor desert landscape on Moleskine paper done the first day of August using White Nights paints, painting wet on dry, with this realistic grouping of prickly pear cactus pods. The blooms are always interesting to see and to paint. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2024

Turbulent Skies

6x6 watercolor on paper in Masters Touch sketchbook done last few days of July, another in my cloud study series for the students. In this imaginary scene, clouds have begun to be turbulent moving strongly and suddenly over the low horizon and the water. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

July Hollyhocks

8x5.25 watercolor on Moleskine paper done last days of July using White Nights paints and some of my white hollyhock photos. Where I was in New Mexico, the hollyhocks were still in bloom. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Seductive Saguaro

9x7 mixed media on paper in Masters Touch 80 lb sketchbook begun yesterday then completed today. I began the imaginary saguaro cactus by sketching with multilead colored pencils, Magic brand, then added watercolor using all the greens and blues. Next were the bright blooms in warm colors. Background is a mix of indigo, ultramarine blue and Payne's grey. Acrylic mixed dark blue was applied over stencil from Stencil Girl on the dry background. Dots of different color acrylics were put on vertically. Lastly, sharp cactus thorns were drawn at random using STA Lictin 0.3 ink pen and some line work around the blooms as well. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Cloudy Day at the Farm

Cloudy Day at the Farm 6x6 watercolor and white gouache over gessoed paper in Masters Touch sketchbook done latter part of July, an imaginary scene of a farm landscape. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2024

International Cat Day

22x15 watercolor on Saunders 140 lb cold press paper of a group of barn cats our friend Lonnie had. There are seven cats, maybe more, depicted here. An older wet in wet painting, this work is SOLD. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith

Road to Home

2x4.25 watercolor miniature done week before last, an imaginary road leading to home wherever that may be for you or for me. This is on 140 lb cold press paper/Daniel Smith paints. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Patio, La Placita in Lincoln, New Mexico plein air

12x16 watercolor on 140 lb cold press Arches paper. In downtown Lincoln, New Mexico I went on location to paint plein air. This small building closed with a sign saying 'La Placita' and had a covered patio with plants growing. Its stone wall was charming as were the vines and trees by the blue grey house. There is negative painting seen in the background. In this historic area one may remember the Lincoln County War and famous outlaw Billy the Kid. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith

Bay Clouds

6x6 watercolor on paper in Masters Touch sketchbook paper done week before last, another imaginary cloud painting over water in the bay. A storm might be brewing by the looks of this menacing sky. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2024

Old Mail Pouch Barns

7x9 watercolor in Masters Touch sketchbook 80 lb paper done week before last from one of my earlier barn photos I have painted before. Love the old advertising Mail Pouch tobacco signs that are seen in some very old farm barns in the American landscape. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Slowpoke Snail

6x6 watercolor and Brusho wc crystals painted this past weekend in July for a WetCanvas challenge; ref courtesy OzonaLori. Sketched in pencil on Masters Touch 80 lb paper, this fellow is moving at a snail's pace along the rock. Watercolors are Rosa Gallery paints made in Ukraine. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2024

Rustic Barn

6x9 watercolor and ink line on Fabriano Bristol 100 lb smooth paper done last weekend in July; ref courtesy WetCanvas challenge. To sketch I used STA Lictin 0.5 pen. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

More Nesting Hummers

5x7 watercolor on Fabriano 140 lb cold press paper done over the past weekend, a pair of Anna's nesting hummingbirds, too young to leave the nest. In this vignette I've used mixed browns and blues as well as mixed greens. Baby hummers were photographed at their nest on the hospital grounds where I worked. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2024