Blazing Sunflower Sky

9x12 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done a few weeks ago, focusing on a sunflower backside and the sky rather than its center. In this imaginary floral scene I've used both cool and warm colors for the sky and its everchanging landscape. COPYRIGHT 2022 Kay Smith

Studio Black Hollyhocks

28x20 watercolor on Lanaquarelle 140 lb hot press paper completed yesterday.  These black hollyhocks grew along the classroom side of my studio along with pink, red, and white ones.  Many colors went into the deep purple almost black hue:  Quinacridones violet and magenta, permanent rose, alizarin crimson, carbazole violet, indigo, UB, thalo green and blue, etc.  Since the blooms were transparent for the most part I used opaques for the background:  Periwinkle, Mint Julep, and Peachy Keen (American Journey).
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Fence Row Sunflowers

5.25 x 4.25 watercolor of imaginary wild sunflowers lined up in a row by an old white picket fence.   You can see these type flowering weeds growing everywhere.  This country scene is done on 140 lb cold press paper.
COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2019

Thursday Daisy ACEO

2.5x3.5 watercolor art card edition original (ACEO) painted of course on a Thursday after seeing one of my very last daisies growing.  Maybe more rain will fall next spring.  Actual size is seen below.

COPYRIGHT 2018 Kay Smith.

Mum Jar

3.5x2.5 watercolor done this weekend, a miniature art card edition original from a photo of chrysanthemums in an old glass jar for a country look.

See actual size below.
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kay Smith.

COPYRIGHT 2018 Kay Smith.

Assorted Hollies

 3.5x2.5 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper, an art card also called an ACEO (Artist Cards Editions & Originals) done last week.  The size as seen in real life is posted below at lower pixels.  These assorted hollyhocks were fun to paint using no photo references.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

July Cosmos

12x9 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done yesterday for the 4th of July.  Painted over an ink line done with Pigma Micron 01 pen, this flower appears more pink here than red.  Brief text on right side was added at the end when dry after painting very wetly.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Bee on Blackeyed Susan

13.5x5 watercolor on 140 lb Saunders Waterford paper done today.  Using a scrap from a failed painting I turned it over and sketched the rudbeckias, or blackeyed Susans, and bee for this quickie demo for class.  Not sure what to do with the background I began at the top with a 1" flat sable brush and using Blue Bice and Periwinkle (American Journey brand sold by Cheap Joe's).  As I went along I added blues thalo, ultramarine, and manganese and thalo green.  Yellows:  Aureolin, quinacridone gold, new gamboge, Halloween orange, quinacridone burnt orange.  Dark centers are quin burnt orange, ultramarine, and indigo.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

Peace Roses in Bud Vase

12x9 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper begun yesterday and finished today.  I grew these at my studio until something killed the rosebush so all I have now are the photos.  Background is light neutral grey pattern design mixed by brushing all leftover colors together then applying with large round brush on wet paper.  It is supposed to resemble lacy curtains and a shabby chic look.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

Daisy Day

11x15 watercolor, brush only, on Canson 140 lb watercolor paper done yesterday.  First the darks were blocked in with a 1" flat brush for this negative painting, then the midtones such as daisy centres and background.  More negative painting of flower shapes are scattered about.  When dry splatters of transparent pyrrol orange done with same brush.  Blues are indigo, manganese, cerulean.
Image COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Poppies in Jar

4x2.5 watercolor and ink on 140 lb cold press paper of various red and yellow orange poppies in canning jars, a popular version of an earlier artist trading card that sold quickly.  This work is SOLD.
Image COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Wicker Chair and Blooms

24x18 watercolor painted today on Canson 140 lb cold press paper, wet on dry using large round brush.  There's something special about my old white chair next to fresh flowers.  I've painted the chair mint green, then lilac, and may put its white back.  Of course our blooms were not this prolific but if you are a painter you make up your own little corner of the garden.  Come on over and sit a spell!
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Oneta's Big Sunflower Face

14x10 watercolor on cold press paper, an older work that I drew from one of my sunflowers growing on the farm.  This work is SOLD.
Image is COPYRIGHT Kay Smith.

Signs of Spring

16x20 watercolor of pink geraniums in my old white wicker chair, painted wet in wet on 140 lb paper/Daniel Smith and DaVinci paints.  Seeing geraniums each year for the first time always lets us know it is Spring. I also painted the same porch scene in oil and that version has been purchased by a private collector.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith

Red Hats wildflowers

11x8.5 watercolor over ink sketch using Pigma Micron 01 pen of our vacant lot wildflowers earlier this year.  I combined two photo references to make this composition.  This image is SOLD.
Image COPYRIGHT 2013 Kay Smith.

Basket Bouquet

15x22 watercolor, work in progress finished with the addition of muted background garden shapes and colors of various foliage/flowers.  Now the white basket is framed by middle values and shows up more distinctly than against white paper.
I want to step over the bouquet, pick it up, and take it into the house to display the fresh blooms in a nice vase.

Old Faucet with Sunflowers

11x12.5 watercolor on Kilimanjaro 140 lb cold press paper; Daniel Smith paints.  This is an imaginary country still life with the vivid sunflowers, old rusty hydrant faucet and weathered wood barn wall behind.