Blue Cactus Pot

9x6 watercolor and ink on Canson 117 lb cold press done first week of this month. I've used White Nights paints and Winsor Newton grey 0.3 fine liner pen to sketch. These old cracked pots make excellent plant holders and give artists a chance to explore all their nooks and crannies. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Neon Nopal Cactus Patch

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 here in Big Spring, TX. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Cactus Greens

9x7 mixed media on Strathmore Bristol 300 series 100 lb paper completed today, another in my prickly pear cactus series. After sketching with a black neon colored Magic pencil I sprayed water then scattered moss green Brusho. The mint green background is made up of Turner's Design gouache mixing white, turquoise, viridian, yellow ochre. Small amounts of watercolor are the added spots of oranges and yellows. Lastly, I took a wet #10 round brush and went over the cactus pads carefully blending colors. Some negative painting was done in the background to add more buds and blooms. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

July Prickly Pears

7x5 mixed media on Strathmore Bristol 100 lb 300 series paper sketched yesterday. Patterned after the previous day's art, these prickly pears were first sprinkled with water then Brusho wc crystals in Sandstone applied. After drying, a mix of turquoise, white, and green Turner's Design gouache was laid in over the background. An orange three colored lead Magic pencil separated the pear leaves pods from each other. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Pricklies and Brown Flowers

6x6 watercolor and ink on Masters Touch sketchbook 80 lb paper done in the first week of June, another in my cactus prickly pear series. With this piece I'm focused on the roughness of the rural countryside and its weeds, wildflowers, and cactus that grow and prosper together. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Prickly Performance

6x6 watercolor and colored pencils on Masters Touch sketchbook 80 lb. paper done first part of June, another cactus of prickly pears in my series. These imaginary desert landscapes are so much fun and each one is different and usually done with addition of at least one other medium. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Prickly Pear Landscape

8.25x5.25 mixed media collage in junk journal done last month. Beginning with watercolor I finished with added collage elements in this imaginary desert landscape. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Wild Prickly Pears

6x6 watercolor on Masters Touch sketchbook 80 lb paper done last week of May, another in my cactus series. Each one is different using various approaches. This was painted quickly without any pre-planning. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Cactus Melee

6x6 watercolor, Brusho using olive and moss greens plus grey, and India ink in Masters Touch sketchbook done in May, another in my imaginary cactus series working wet into wet and applying line if needed. With this one ink lines were quickly sketched in first then color followed when dry. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Plentiful Prickly Pear

6x6 watercolor and India ink in Masters Touch sketchbook done in May, another in my imaginary cactus series working wet into wet and applying line if needed. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Cactus Afternoon

6x6 watercolor and black India ink in Masters Touch sketchbook, 80 lb. paper done last week or so ago. This is another imaginary cactus landscape scene in my ongoing series of painting prickly pears. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Cactus Stack

6x6 mixed media in Masters Touch sketchbook done last weekend, another imaginary prickly pear cactus patch. I used white wax crayon and watercolor for this colorful country scene. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith