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| Detail of WIP 16 x 20 inch oil on paper |
Slow progress is being made on the 16 x 20 inch oil on paper painting. Above is some more detail.
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| Trail at Pawnee Prairie Nature Center Wichita, Kansas |
I have been hiking quite a bit at our Pawnee Prairie Nature Center. Lots of beautiful Kansas scenery makes the senses go wild. I am not sure what I do most of...hike or take pictures. The above photo is very Kansas...fairly flat with lots of grasses, wildflowers and big open skies.
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| Our backyard this morning after a storm |
We have had so much rain here in Kansas and everything is so green. It sure does make it a lot easier to pull weeds. I have been spending hours and hours in the backyard working.
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| sketchbook sweeties graphite in a tiny moleskin |
Of course no day would be complete without at least one little sketch. The above sketches are from weeks ago....the crazy girl on the left is a favorite.
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| sketchbook sweetie graphite in a tiny moleskin |
I've been doing a lot of bird watching too and this sketch was done last night.
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| Oriole |
Kansas has gorgeous birds...Cardinals, Blue Jays, Orioles, Golden Finch, Purple Finch and if you're lucky, you might spot an owl from time to time. I often stand at the widow waiting for that perfect picture. This is an Oriole...a little blurry...but you get the idea of what a gorgeous bird this is. Its song is about five notes long and sugary sweet-sounding. What kinds of birds do you see where you live?
Until next time! Have a beautiful week!
I admire your sketching, painting and pictures ~ Hope you are enjoying summer (though its been raining) ~ Have a good week ~
ReplyDeleteLoVe the sunflowers and Pawnee Prairie is gorgeous!!! You have captured her essence! Fun sketches .. esp the on w/ the little birdie :)
ReplyDeleteThe sunflower piece is wonderful. Your flowers standing together that way are like three sisters out enjoying the sunshine. And your statement about all the rain being such a fortunate thing... because it makes the weeds easier to pull... made me smile at your sunny attitude! Kansas certainly seems like a wonderful place! Oh, and that photo is really great, the composition is perfect! Are you going to use that for a painting?
ReplyDeleteHi Katherine, sometimes my photos do get used for paintings or at least some element of them. I rarely set out to paint one of my photos entirely. I often decide, for example, to place a house or tree in a painting and then use the photos I have as a reference at that time for just that particular subject. I hope that makes sense. I do like it when I can use my own photos for certain things because then the work is 100% my own vs using photos from the internet or a book or something of that sort.
DeleteThanks for your wonderful comment.
A beautiful WIP. Can't wait to see the finished piece. Beautiful pic of the sun flowers too and wow! What a back yard you have. I am in love with the little bird watcher sketch.
ReplyDeleteYour backyard is so beautiful! And, I love your Oriel photo ;o) I think we have pretty much the same birds as you and we have crows and ravens too ;o) Your little sketches are so cute and your sunflower painting is gorgeous! Hugs ;o)
ReplyDeleteYour yard looks fantastic...the perfect spot to relax and enjoy Mother Nature.
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of birds but I'm not much good at knowing their names. All I know is they all sing to me each morning and I love it.
Hi Janet and thank you. The mornings here are best for bird watching as well. We put seed out and that makes it really active!
DeleteA sweet and pleasant post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa for sharing your inspiration with all of us!!!
It is GREAT!
Thank you so much everyone!
ReplyDeleteYour garden is so beautiful and cozy!! And I love that painting with the small sunflowers and the pathway!! :-)
ReplyDeleteLove your WIP - those sunflowers are fabulous. And your yard is looking great too. Happy birds and sweet sketches!
ReplyDeletexxoo
Your sketchbook sweeties are adorable and your garden is so impressive...you can just sit and paint...so many reference shots around you!!
ReplyDeletelove your artwork and photos!!!!
ReplyDeleteKansas does look beautiful, in my mind I always think of the wizard of Oz when I think of Kansas, wide open prairies and little wooden houses, your flowers are wonderful and I adore peeping into your sketchbook to view your little sweeties :)
ReplyDeletethe girl on the left is my favourite as well, Kansas looks so green, a lot like where I live in Alberta, love your art, and your yard looks like it would be nice to come over and have a glass of wine, and a chat with you and Myra
ReplyDeleteWould that be lovely Lee?
DeleteVery nice looking sunflowers! What a beautiful landscape you have too for inspiration. We have some blue jays and robins from time to time. Lots of little finches and woodpeckers as well. We get a fair amount of turkeys and turkey vultures too:(
ReplyDeleteI forgot about the woodpeckers. The Downy Woodpeckers are so acrobatic on the feeders and the Red-Bellied Woodpeckers have a wonderful and distinct call...and I love the red tuft of hair on their heads.
DeleteFun Lisa, we have a ton of cardinals in our back yard. Well, you may not know this but the cardinal is Indiana's state bird. I watched a mother give her four adolescent birds flying lessons yesterday.
ReplyDeleteDo orioles eat humming birds? Or maybe just their nectar!!!!
I did not know that about Indiana and Cardinals. Your statement caused me to question Kansas' state bird...it's the Western Meadowlark. Who knew? I didn't. And I've never seen one before!
DeleteI have seen the Orioles and Hummingbirds eat out of the same feeder. I think they are civil to one another. I doubt an Oriole could ever catch a Hummingbird anyway. :)
such a WONDER FILLED post Lisa, thank you! and I am absolutely in LOVE with your flower painting...ever so SPECIAL and BEAUTIFUL! XO
ReplyDeleteOh that last sweetie with the bird is so adorable. Love her expression. xox
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone.
ReplyDeleteWhat an inspiring post. Thanks. Gorgeous backyard, lovely paintings.
ReplyDeleteThank you Johanne. I really enjoyed looking at your work and I am so happy you stopped by to say hello.
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