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

Very Tall Cactus in Pot

9x2 watercolor on 117 lb cold press Canson paper done last month, another vertical miniature that can be framed or used as a bookmark. This one was inspired by the many other potted cactus plants I've painted. White gel pen was used to make spiky thorns. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Cactus Floral Shapes

9x6 mixed media using mostly acrylic and colored pencil over an older watermedia made with stencils done in 2021. This redo or rework is fun after drawing cactus shapes in colored pencil over the original. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025 Original Floral Shapes is below for comparison.

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

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

Southern Arizona Saguaro

7x9 watercolor over pencil sketch of a scene around Tucson complete with tall saguaros. This is on Masters Touch 80 lb paper done yesterday with Daniel Smith/American Journey paints. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith