Petticoats - Mexican Redhat Wildflowers

11x8.5 watercolor and ink on paper of wildflowers growing in our vacant lot. Commonly known as Mexican red hats, these have so much character and different form and colors; their petals resemble petticoats. From dark red to a red-orange, their vibrant saucy pigment dot the landscape, often growing in clumps. This ink and line wash is my 3rd piece featuring their lively design. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Freshwater Stream and Rocks

6x9 acrylics on 140 lb cold press Canson wc paper done over the past weekend. This was for another online WetCanvas challenge in the Acrylics forum where the host gave us the topic of water and rocks. Using my own photo of a freshwater stream I have tried to make it appear natural in this landscape. COPYRIGHT 2024 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

Cattails and Wildflowers

11x6.5 watercolor on Winsor Newton 140 lb cold press paper sketched and painted today for another weekend drawing event on WetCanvas. Participants have 2 hours to select their choice of photos then paint. Ref courtesy of host Bonnie McBride of Canada. I combined her yellow wildflowers with cattails for a wildflower scene for her challenge. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Prairie Coneflowers ~ Mexican Redhats

8x8 watercolor on Masters 140 lb cold press paper completed today from my Mexican redhat wildflower photos.  This beauty can be seen along roadsides and vacant lots and is also known as the common prairie coneflower with either red, dark red, or yellow 'skirts'.
COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Twilight Prickly Poppies

13.5x21.5 watercolor on Langton 140 lb cold press paper completed today, inspired by the thousands of prickly poppies growing around here.  Background was painted using Daniel Smith Nickel AzoYellow, alizarin crimson, and phthalo blue primary set.  Shadows on the wildflowers' white petals were mixed with several palette colors for varied greys.
COPYRIGHT 2019 Kay Smith

Wild Prickly Poppies

20 x 21.75 watercolor on Italia 140 lb cold pressed paper, drawn with a brush then painted loosely wet on dry.  I did heavy spritzing with water in some areas after laying in thick paint to cause movement and dispersion.  These wild white flowering weeds grow here and there in our area and their yellowish centers are pure latex.  This work is now SOLD.