Prickly Pear Canyon

7x5 watercolor and ink on handmade rough paper recently done for a sister-in-law birthday gift. I've used Winsor Newton sepia 0.3 fine liner pen to sketch then black STA brush pen, and black Sharpie in addition to the fluid paint on this imaginary cactus landscape. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Southwest Style

9x5.5 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper painted today, a southwestern style adobe house landscape, complete with clay pots of cactus and yucca. In this imaginary scene I've tried to indicate the hot climate and carefree lifestyle of the area. From the red tile roof to stucco walls one can imagine living here in the desert. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Cactus Coloring

8x6 watercolor using limited palette of alizarin crimson, Moonglow, and aureolin paints on handmade rough cold press paper. I painted this imaginary desert cactus scene around first week or so of September, another in my series. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Cactus Glory

8.5x5.5 mixed media of Winsor Newton grey fineliner 0.3 pen, watercolor, colored pencils done last month in mixed media sketchbook. Another imaginary desert cactus and foliage scene up close. 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

Colored Cactus Pears

8.5x5.5 watercolor done in mixed media sketchbook last week, another imaginary cactus theme focusing on its edible pear fruit. This was painted quickly and loosely. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Cactus and Agave

8x6 watercolor on rough handmade paper done over a week ago combining two references into one composition of prickly pear cactus along with large agave plant. COPYRIGHT 2025 Kay Smith

Tall Spring Cactus

15x11 watercolor over pencil sketch of an imaginary saguaro style tall cactus in clay pot done week before last. This is done over a backing sheet I put beneath smaller works to catch drips that makes for interesting marks. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Orange Cactus Pod Bloom

8x8 watercolor using White Nights paints on Lanaquarelle hot press 140 lb done last weekend from some of my cactus ref photos. I enjoyed painting the vivid orange bloom on this set of desert succulent cactus or cacti. In May these will be blooming in west Texas. COPYRIGHT 2022 Kay Smith

Cactus Line Sketches

10.25x9 ink line on sketchbook paper, some cactus in boxes as cute succulents just perfect for making into adult coloring projects. A few of these will be explored using different methods and/or media. COPYRIGHT 2022 Kay Smith

Southwestern Red Hot Pokers

5.5x5.5 watercoloor using White Nights paints done over the past week in Arteza sketchbook 110 lb cold press paper. Using my own red hot pokers for reference this was a fun botanical/floral to paint. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Cactus Confetti

8.25x5.25 mixed media in junk journal, a book published in 1950. I first put on collaged elements of tissue paper and a ticket stub, stenciled acrylic colors, added ink marks with technical pen nib, wrote words, then added a saguaro cactus shape. Assorted colors for stripes and dots and flowers on top. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Cactus Statue

3x2 miniature in ink and Tombow black brush pen created last month during my cactus series using stamps and abstract designs. This is on Canson 140 lb cold press paper. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Cactus Lines

3x3.5 miniature using ink, Tombow brush pen, and white gel pen on Bristol board 300 series 100 lb paper done last month during my cactus series. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Summer Succulents

8x8 watercolor on Masters Touch premium 140 lb cold press paper finished after sketching it on Tuesday at the Palette Club. I used White Nights paints. My photo was taken years ago at a greenhouse of this grouping of aloe vera, barrel cactus, and other assorted succulents. 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.

Snake Plant in Mosaic Pot

8.25x5.25 mixed media in junk journal, sketched from life on Saturday. I used colored pencils, watercolor, and Montana acrylic markers on a page in the old book. I love these succulent snake plants, or sansevieria, and have several growing in pots. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Succulent Pot ~ plein air

8x6 watercolor and ink line in Stillman & Birn Zeta series sketchbook, done from life.  I sketched this pot of various succulents on my New Mexico patio back in September.  This was one featured in a florals challenge hosted by me on WetCanvas that month.  Cacti and succulents were the plants highlighted; I really pushed the color here.
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith             Email:   1971ks@att.net to purchase via PayPal           Cost:   $115

Purple Prickly Pear Cactus

12x15 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press completed today after about 3 days' work.  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.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.