Korean Stewartia

Stewartia koreana, watercolor, 12"h x 10"w.

 

After seeing and sketching the American Stewartia ovata in Colonial Williamsburg I want to do a more formal painting of it later on. I thought painting another Stewartia would be a good way to practice for it, allowing me to study which pigments best render the colors accurately, and use lighting as a way of dramatizing the image.

I had taken photos and sketched the Korean Stewartia at Blandy Farm the week before I went to Williamsburg, and found one photo with glints of sunlight that I particularly liked. I then used it as the model for this painting, which I plan to submit for Art at the Mill's fall show in October. 

Above is a photo of the painting in progress--I didn't take any other progress photos, just this one. As with any painting, the practice is a process in learning how to use the colors and shadows to model the objects to give a realistic sense of depth and three dimensions. I love the delicate texture of the creamy petals against the dark foliage, and feel better prepared for painting the native Stewartia ovata.

Levant Cotton Painting

Levant Cotton (Gossypium herbaceum 'Nigra'), watercolor

Here is my finished painting of the Levant Cotton for the US Botanic Garden. I hope it gives a good sense of the plant's characteristics, its lovely flowers, unusual foliage and fruit (the bolls), as well as the way the bolls open when ripe, displaying their cotton-wrapped seeds.

I plan to take the painting to the USBG in the next week or so to be scanned, the image will become part of their collection. The original painting will be returned to me and will be offered for sale then. If you are interested in purchasing it, please contact me to request the price.

Blue Gentian: the Finished Painting

Blue Gentian (Gentiana scabra) watercolor, 13.5" x 14.5"

Here at last is the finished painting of the Blue Gentian. This is my entry for Brookside Garden's Botanica 2014 exhibition, which will be on view from June 28-Aug. 8, 2014.