Pristine Prickly Petals

10x8 watercolor done last of December on Canson 117 lb cold press paper using Gansai Tambi graphite paints (made in Japan). These delicate white petals blooming on a prickly pear cactus are so pristine. Always a pleasure to paint cactus art. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Monday Cactus Pears

8.5x5.5 watercolor on sketchbook for mixed media done last month. Using a limited palette for these imaginary cactus leaves and pears I used: Payne's Gray, Perylene maroon, and quinacridone gold. Also I used multilead colored pencils by Koh-I-Noor Magic pencils. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Rough Cactus Patch

8x6 watercolor on rough handmade paper done week before last using graphite paints by Gansai Tambi (Kuretake) and Rosa Gallery paints. In this imaginary southwestern desert landscape focusing on cactus plants, I've used the graphites for the rough texture and Rosa paints for their brilliant colors of the prickly pears. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Neon Nopal Cactus

15x22 watercolor on 140 lb cold press Winsor Newton paper, one of the first cactus in a series of painting leaves and blooms opposite of their local colors.  It was one of the cactus groups found at our big spring area of Comanche Trail Park.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

Cactus Flame

11x15 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper finished today.  Actually I have been laboring over this for 3 days, working on it as I had time.  This vibrant red orange cactus bloom captivated me when I saw it in our park by the big spring for which our town is named.  Parts of pods were dried and withered but the bloom was there in all its flaming glory.  Again I used Mint Julep (American Journey by Cheap Joe's) plus various shades of gold, ochre, sienna, and indigo for the greenish grey pods or leaves.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

Yellow Cactus Bloom - Day 27 of 30 Day Challenge

5x5 watercolor on 140 lb Canson cold press paper painted today for day #27.  This close up of a prickly pear yellow cactus flower along with more blooms on the pear shaped pods is already SOLD.  Known as nopales, the thin nutritious pads are edible.

Since 9-1-15, I've posted daily works on Leslie Saeta's #30paintingsin30days challenge she hosts annually on her blog Slices of Life you can see HERE.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.