Summer Saguaro

36x24 watercolor and acrylic on watercolor canvas, done last month before all the art shows started. With this simple design the elegant desert saguaro shows off its multicolored self along with its sharp pointed cactus thorns. The cactus itself is watercolor and background is acrylic over watercolor. Using an old credit card, I pulled acrylics down from the top to bottom. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Saguaro Welcome

12x6 watercolor on Strathmore 140 lb cold press paper done last of May. In this imaginary dry desert landscape the tall saguaros seem to be opening their wide arms to any visitors. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Saguaro Shenanigans

15x11 watercolor on 140 lb cold press Master's Touch paper done last of May; this one is based on an earlier saguaro cactus that was smaller. With this I've tried to have more abstract strokes. Daniel Smith pigments used. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Kitschy Kactus

14x11 watercolor and ink line on synthetic Yupo paper done last month, a very contemporary take on the usual cactus pods and blooms seen in desert landscapes. I used White Nights paints and a Sharpie ultra fine point marker. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Tall Cactus in Red Pot

10.75x4.25 watercolor on Canson 117 lb cold press paper with white gel pen done last week, another in my tall cactus series in small pots. Vertical art is very popular and is a size that fits just about anywhere. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Cactus Wall bookmark

6x2 watercolor miniature southwestern art painted last month, one that can be framed or can be used as a bookmark. I used one of my paintings done earlier in the year as an inspiration. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Shadows and Cactus Blooms

14x10 watercolor done on Stonehenge Aqua 140 lb hot press paper, done at first of this month, emphasizing the importance of shadows to highlight the cactus blooms on the prickly pear. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

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

Barrel Cactus Fun

6x6 mixed media started over a week ago using graphite watercolors (Kuretake's Gansai Tambi) and black india ink. In this imaginary cactus I've made the spikes seem surreal. This is on Masters Touch 80 lb sketchbook paper. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

March Saguaro Madness

9x7 mixed media on 140 lb cold press wc paper done last month. After initial sketch using colored pencils, I used watercolors, Stabilo woody pencils, white gel pen, STA Lictin 0.3 ink pen, ink stamp. This is an imaginary cactus saguaro. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Purple Pot Cactus

6x6 watercolor using brush only, no pencil drawing, done yesterday of a potted cactus, another in my cactus series. This is on 80 lb sketchbook paper in Masters Touch book. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Tall Mini Cactus with Turquoise Background

7x4 watercolor and ink on Strathmore toned tan paper done a few days ago of a tall mini cactus in clay pot I've used in other pieces. Changing supports and colors often spark new ideas. COPYRIGHT 2022 Kay Smith

Saguaro Confetti Cactus

8.25x5.25 mixed media collage in junk journal done a few days ago painting over a failed still life. Collaged foreign country stamps are at the bottom. I used hard charcoal to sketch then watercolor, acrylics, ink (Staedtler calligraphic duo pen)for this imaginary saguaro cactus and its blooms. More lilac, purple, and pink was used in this version. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Tall Cactus in Clay Pot

9x4 acrylic gouache on Grumbacher 140 lb cold press paper done last week using that medium by Liquitex. I used a backing sheet for other works hence the markings. Acrylic gouache has a matte finish and is exactly like gouache but has the permanency of acrylic paint. Cactus and pot are imaginary. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Purple Prickly Pear Cactus

12x15 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper. These cactus blooms caught my eye as they bloom in May here in west Texas, and the purple coloration set off the orange yellows. A patch of sthe spiky succulent plants was growing near to the big spring for which our town is named. I used two opaques together, American Journey's Mint Julep and Blue Bice, for most of the softer green areas, with a lot of water. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith.

Phoenix Pricklies

3.5x2.5 watercolor on 140 lb cold press Italia paper, an imaginary set of desert prickly pear cactus done in miniature. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Red Prickly Pear Cactus

5.5x8.5 watercolor and ink (Micron 01 pen) on Masters paper, sketched for InkTober last month with color added later from one of my many cactus images.
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kay Smith