Pretty Purple Petunias

8x8 watercolor on Master's Touch 140 lb CP paper done week before last using my new petunias in a pot as a model. They smell so sweet. For years I did not grow them as they kept dying and as it turns out they were not watered enough. Painted wet on dry using lots of water and mixes of various blues and pinks by Daniel Smith. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

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

Watercan, Hat and Plants

6.5x9.25 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press done today, a gardening still life composed of old hat, old watering can, spade, and pots of annuals such as geraniums, petunias, daisies, etc. Now this should put everyone in a spring planting mood. COPYRIGHT 2022 Kay Smith

Hanging Baskets

15x22 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper done again a few days ago from photos of greenhouse hanging floral baskets. I photographed these at 4 Seasons in Ruidoso, NM. These geranium varieties and the mixed petunia annuals are so pretty. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

May Day Garden Bench

12x12 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper painted today for one of my online events I hosted.  This old bench has seen better days; sunshine and rain have weathered its former glory.  Pink petunias and geraniums along with small blue flowers flank its front.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Wheelbarrow Whispers

11x15 watercolor done today on Kilimanjaro 140 lb cold press paper, an imaginary garden scene except for my old wooden wheelbarrow.  Flowering geranium pots are inside it while towering hollyhocks, poppies, hibiscus, petunias, and marigolds surround it all.
Image COPYRIGHT 2016 Kay Smith.

Nasturtiums and Petunias

15x11 watercolor on Canson paper, brush only, done this afternoon in a timed exercise on WetCanvas.  This detail of hanging flowering plants is courtesy Lauren, host for current Weekend Drawing Event.  I spent 1 hour and 5 minutes on it.  I like the flowers' softness contrasted with rough old wood wall texture.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith

Hanging Baskets of Flowers

15x22 watercolor finished yesterday of fresh greenhouse baskets of red and variegated geraniums and mixed petunias.  Drawn from a combination of two photo references, I changed the left side pot to off white and right side variegated blooms were red ones.  This painting was fun to do as we have no flowers right now to buy to even dream of spring or summer.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2014 Kay Smith.

Garden Center Rabbit plein air vignette

Top image is 12x9 watercolor on Langston 140 lb cold press paper, done this morning plein air during our group paint out (Watercolor Horizons in Odessa, TX).  I took about 1.5 hours to sketch then paint with travel palette and outdoors gear.  Bottom image is a photo of the statue which was quite large.  Afterwards, we had lunch amongst the flowers and plants at Alldredge Gardens beautiful environment.

Purple Garden Bench

23 x 15.75 watercolor on medium weight Yupo synthetic paper.  A pot of bougainvilleas flanks the purple painted wooden bench at my studio.  A yellow windowbox holds white and red petunias and vinca beneath the red trim of the pale yellow house.  My favorite has to be the purple shutters guarding the windows.  I used DaVinci, Daniel Smith, and WN paints.

Petunias and Red Yucca

15x22 watercolor vignette on 140 lb cold press Saunders Waterford paper from a scene close to my first downtown studio in the antique district. This one is SOLD.