Flower Watercolors - Ralph F. Wilson

One of my favorite subjects is flowers. Every spring, I look for the blossoms to appear. Their subtle shapes and colors are fascinating. Here are some of my paintings.

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Watercolor: Lavender Bluebells - 14" x 20" I found these blue-bells growing alongside the San Lorenzo River in Felton, CA several years ago. This painting uses very few brush strokes, but was done by masking and pouring primary colors. Watercolor, 14" x 20". Exhibited at the 2015 "Awash with Color" WASH members show, Sacramento Fine Arts Center, March 31 to April 18, 2015, where it won "Honorable Mention."	Watercolor: Soft Dogwood (14" x 20") This picture was made by masking the lightest colors and pouring primary colors (red, blue, yellow) in various parts of the painting, allowing it to mix, then pouring it off. This process as repeated four additional times, then the centers and veins in the flowers were touched up by brush. Watercolor, 14" x 20". Exhibited at the 2015 "Awash with Color" WASH members show, Sacramento Fine Arts Center, March 31 to April 18, 2015. Exhibited at the Placer County Fair, June 25-28, 2015, where it won first place in the watercolor category.
Watercolor: Autumn Backlit (10.5" x 10.5") This was inspired by backlit Big Leaf Maple leaves I saw in Guerneville, along the Russian River in early June 2013. But they seemed much more interesting in fall colors than the light green of early summer. Watercolor, 140 lb rough Arches paper. 10.5" x 10.5". Shown at the Rocklin Fine Arts 2014 Snowflake Exhibition, Feb 8-9, 2014. Exhibited at the Placer County Fair, June 25-28, 2015. In a private collection: J. Wilson.	Watercolor: Chinese Hanging Tiger Lilies (14.5" x 10.5") When we were at England's Hidcote Gardens in August 2009 we saw these fantastic lilies. They are Henry's Lily (Lilium henryi), sometimes called a Tiger Lily. They are found in the mountains of central China. Exhibited at the Chocolate Shoppe as part of the Auburn Art Walk on April 10, 2014. Watercolor, 14.5" x 10.5"
Watercolor: Purple-Leaf Plum Blossoms (14" x 20") There's noting more beautiful than the delicacy of back-lit fruit tree blossoms in the early spring. This is from a Purple-Leaf Plum Blossom growing on Gold Trail near our home. The sheaves of red are the leaf buds just ready to start opening. 14" x 20". Watercolor.	Watercolor: Yellow Iris (20" x 14.5") Inspired by an iris in our front yard, April 2013. Won "First Award" at Sonja Hamilton's class final day, April 30, 2013, Placer Adult School. 14x20" Exhibited at the Placer County Fair, June 20-23, 2013 where it won 1st place in watercolor and Best of Division for the 2-dimensional art division. Accepted for exhibition in the juried 2013 WASH Open Show at the Sacramento Fine Art Center, September 3-28, 2013. Exhibited at the juried Placer Art League Open Show at the Lincoln Art Center, July 2 thru Aug 2, 2014.
Watercolor: Yellow Rose (20" x 14") The beauty of a back-lit open yellow rose growing outside our dining room window. 20" x 14". Watercolor.	Watercolor: Pink Rose (20" x 14") This rose is from Jean's garden. Watercolor. 20x14.
Watercolor: Purple Iris (10.5" x 11") "Purple Iris." The beautiful irises of spring bloomed early this year, but their memory is not forgotten on this first day of June at 95 degrees. I found this striking purple iris at a local nursery. Watercolor, 10.5" x 11"	Watercolor: Pink Rose 2 I love backlit roses. This one was a delicate pink in Jean's garden. I experimented painting on #140 cold press Moulin de Roi watercolor paper. It worked fine. Watercolor, 14.5" x 10.5"
Watercolor: Red-Orange Calla Lilies (10.5"x14.5") When I found these Calla Lilies at a local nursery, I was struck by both their colors and shapes. Watercolor, 10.5" x 14.5".	Watercolor: Bouquet in a Gravy Tureen (9"x6") We have such lovely roses. Here are a few I cut and then put in a white gravy tureen. Completed on the plane from Amsterdam to Nairobi. Watercolor, 9" x 6".
Watercolor: Sunflower (6"x9") This is from a photograph taken in Jean's garden several years ago. Completed on the plane from Los Angeles to Amsterdam. Watercolor, 6" x 9".	Watercolor: Golden Center - Pink Chrysanthemum, 20" x 14" I spent part of Thanksgiving Day at our family get-together in Forest Hill, CA working on this beautiful pink chrysanthemum with a yellow center. Watercolor, 20"x 14". 'Golden Center - Pink Chrysanthemum' was juried onto Magnum Opus XXVII, Sacramento Fine Arts Center's Annual Open Show, July 19-August 13, 2016.
Watercolor: Glowing Easter Tulips (10.5" x 10.5") I saw these backlit tulips at a nursery, and found them perfect for an Easter painting. Watercolor. 10.5" x 10.5"	Watercolor: Alstromeria - Peruvian Lilies (10.5" x 14.5") I found these bright crimson flowers at a local nursery, and enjoyed their loud trumpeting of spring. Watercolor. 10.5" x 14.5"
Watercolor: Year of the Poppy - 2014, 20" x 14" The spring of 2014 was certainly the most robust California Poppy exhibition I have seen in my memory. We saw fields of poppies! This painting is to commemorate that year. Watercolor, 20" x 14".	Watercolor: Prickly Milk Thistle - 20"x14" Prickly beauty up close. I started by masking the whites, then painting the colorful background rather wet, with the brushstrokes simulating the surrounding grasses. Fun. Watercolor, 20" x 14". Exhibited in the Placer Artists League Open Juried Show, Auburn, June 2-20, 2015.
Watercolor: Sunflower 2 - 14.5" x 14.5" Jean planted a few sunflowers in her garden this summer. These were smaller than some, but a warmer, orange yellow color. Watercolor, 14.5" x 14.5"	Watercolor: Queen Anne's Lace - 14.5" x 9.5" These delicate flowers were growing in our left-to-die lawn this summer in the drought. It's hard to capture the fine delicacy of the flowers in this umbel. The flower is also known as Daucus carota, wild carrot, bird's nest, and bishop's lace. Watercolor, 14.5" x 9.5".
Watercolor: Peach-Pink Rose - 20" x 14" Jean has lots of roses blossoming all summer. The delicacy of this rose's peachy color was too much to pass up. Besides, after painting a series of bluegrass musicians, this was a whole lot easier. :-) Watercolor, 20" x 14."	Watercolor: Glory in Delicate Petals - 14" x 14" Summer at our house is flush with beautiful roses. This delicate pink rose with a yellow center captured my attention with its radiance. Watercolor, 14" x 14".
Watercolor: Parrot Tulips, Delft, Holland - 14.5" x 14.5" When I was visiting Delft, Netherlands, in September 2014, I saw these beautiful Parrot Tulips along the street. They are (apparently) Estella Rijnveld variety of parrot tulips. Parrot tulips are known for their showy fringed and scalloped plumage and striations. Watercolor, 14.5" x 14.5".	Watercolor: Delicate Abelia - 14.5" x 10.5" One of Jean's flowering shrubs is this delicate Abelia. Its trumpet-shaped blossoms are only about 1/2" to 3/4" long. In the spring, I admire it every time I walk the path to our back door. Watercolor, 14.5" x 10.5"
Watercolor: Pink-Orange Rosebud 10.5" x 10.5" Here's an early spring rose from our garden just opening up. Watercolor, 10.5" x 10.5".	Watercolor: Fiddleneck (6.5" x 14.5") Fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii, Rancher's Fireweed) is one of the first wildflowers our on our property each spring. It's called Fiddleneck because the flower head looks like the neck of a fiddle, flowering first at the end and gradually unwinding. My challenge was to paint this rather plain, leggy plant with an interesting composition. Watercolor, 6.5" x 14.5"
Watercolor: Yellow Mustard (10.5" x 14.5") In April the fields of Central California are bright with Yellow Mustard (Field Mustard, Brassica campestris, or B. rapa Jepson). In some parts of the wrold, the condiment mustard is made from grinding the seeds with oil. I used lots of masking fluid to get the background as even as I could. Watercolor, 10.5" x 14.5."	Watercolor: Full-on Red Rose - 14.5" x 14.5" I'm fascinated by the internal folds and shadows in this red rose. This painting was exhibited in the "Awash with Color: WASH Member Show," at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center, April 4-23, 2017. Watercolor, 14.5" x 14.5".
Watercolor: Purple-White Iris - 12" x 9" This beauty is painted with transparent watercolor paints directly on 8 oz artist's canvas as an experiment. Brilliant colors, but since the water beads up, little subtlety is possible. Watercolor on canvas, 12" x 9".	Watercolor: Yellow-White Iris - 9" x 12" Painted with transparent watercolor paints directly on 8 oz artist's canvas as an experiment. Watercolor on canvas, 9" x 12".
Watercolor: Feverfew - 14.5" x 10.5" $0.00 We have thousands of Feverfew flowers in Jean's garden during May and June. Tanacetum parthenium has many tiny, delicate, daisy-type flowers, but here I captured a few and enlarged them. Feverfew makes great daisy-chain circlets for your hair. Or 'might' keep your migraines from being as severe or reduce fevers. This painting was exhibited in the juried "Go with the Flow" WASH Open Show at Sacramento Fine Arts Center, September 6 to October 1, 2016. Watercolor 14.5" x 10.5".	Watercolor: Foxglove - 14" x 20" $0.00 I love the bold colors and spots of the foxglove. This one was tipped at an angle for effect. Watercolor, 20" x 14".
Watercolor: Water Lily - 20" x 14" $0.00 When we went to the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco to celebrate my cousins' 50th Wedding Anniversary, I spotted this gorgeous water lily in one of the ponds. Watercolor, 20" x 14".	Watercolor: Yellow Day Lilies - 10.5" x 14.5" $0.00 I've focused on two flowers, but the masses of yellow day lilies you see in landscaping is powerful. Watercolor, 10.5" x 14.5"
Watercolor: Magenta Lily - 14.5" x 14.5" $0.00 While I was laid up with a broken ankle, Jean took some stunning photos of a magenta lily that I couldn't resist painting. Watercolor, 14.5" x 14.5"	Watercolor: Sunflower Hummingbird - 10.5" x 10.5" $0.00 This painting is from a photo I took at least five years ago of one of Jean's huge sunflowers. And I was able to catch a Black-Chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) in the photo and in the painting. Watercolor, 10.5" x 10.5"
Watercolor: Coast Rhododendron Azalea - 14.5" x 10.5" Several years ago I took photos of Azaleas or Coast Rhododendron () among the redwoods at Mt. Hermon Conference Center, near Felton, Califonia. They have such graceful stamens and pistil. I painted this on very rough, very absorbent, heavy handmade paper. I don't think I'll use this paper again, because it's so unforgiving. Watercolor, 14.5" x 10.5".	Watercolor: Tiger Lily in the Sun - 14.5" x 14.5" $0.00 This brilliant tiger lily is from a photo I took with the flower in full sun. I purposely used a purple background that is a near complement to the yellow and orange of the flower. Watercolor, 14.5" x 14.5".
Watercolor: Mother's Day Tulips - 14.5" x 10.5" $0.00 This year Jean received a bouquet of pink tulips for Mother's Day. I couldn't resist painting them. And now, though they've faded and have been discarded, their beauty lives on. I tried a new color -- Daniel Smith Bordeaux -- and really like it. There's also a touch of Holbein Opera to brighten it up. Happy Spring! Watercolor, 14.5" x 10.5".	Watercolor: Yucca Spikes - 20" x 20" $0.00 This May, a neighbor had three yucca plants in full flower that I just had to paint. For this I used a pouring technique with three primary colors: thalo blue (green shade), new gamboge, and quinacridone red. This painting is exhibited in the juried 2017 WASH "Go with the Flow" Open Show, Sep 6-Oct 1, 2017 at Sacramento Fine Arts Center. Watercolor, 20" x 20".
Watercolor: Lilies of the Fields - Ithuriel's Spear - 14.5" x 10.5" $0.00 One of my favorite spring wildflowers on our property is Itheriel's Spear or Wally Basket (Triteleia laxa), in the Amarilis family. The flowers appear in umbels, and are beautiful, their blue purple blossoms contrasting with the drying grasses around them. Photographing it is hard, since my camera doesn't like to focus on thin objects. Watercolor, 14.5" x 10.5".	Watercolor: Roses Are Red - 10.5" x 10.5" $0.00 By now I've painted many roses. Instead of precision with each petal, I tried to give a general feeling without a lot of interior hard edges. I'm not sure I like it, but it IS red! Watercolor, 10.5" x 10.5".
Watercolor: Yellow-White Iris on Blue - 5" x 7" $0.00 Here's a small experiment in sketching and coloring a delicate iris fairly quickly. I started with a dark thalo blue background. Then added yellow and then delicate shadows. I was pleased with the result for the little time invested. Watercolor, 5" x 7".	Watercolor: Drooping Sunflower - 12" x 9" $0.00 What I learned from this sketch was to get the darks dark enough. My two previous attempts at sunflowers look washed out by comparison. Watercolor, 12" x 9".
Watercolor: Canna Flowers - 5" x 7" $0.00 Jean had planted these rhizomes a few months ago, but in late August 2017 they are in full, intense flower. I painted small (5x7), but thoroughly enjoyed sketching the plant's typical flower appearance, then painting it within about an hour and a half. Fun! 170820. Watercolor, 5" x 7".	Watercolor: Proud Sunflowers (8" x 8") $0.00 As I was driving by the Loomis Methodist Church community garden I was struck by the wonderful sunflowers reaching up to the sky. There's something in-your-face about sunflowers; that's why they're so much fun to paint. One of the 31 paintings in the 31 days of July challenge that I painted during the 2018 World Watercolor Month. 180728. Watercolor, 8" x 8".
Watercolor: Unfolding Rose - 8" x 8" $0.00 I painted this same rose in April 2016, but here's another try, this time using a white background. I think I'll do another in the series as well. One of the 31 paintings in the 31 days of July challenge that I painted during the 2018 World Watercolor Month. 180731. Watercolor, 8" x 8".	Watercolor: Poinsettia in the Sun - 14" x 10" $0.00 On New Year's Day at 9 am, the Christmas Poinsettia in my mother-in-law's living room window was aglow with light, with the beautiful leaves back-lit. I couldn't help but try to paint it. I'm using a stained glass window motif, to see how that might work with this subject. The brilliant red-orange I used was W&N Scarlet Lake, along with reds Quinacridone Red, Permanent Alizarin Crimson, and some Daniel Smith Bordeaux. 190109. Watercolor and ink, 14" x 10".
Watercolor: Cherry Blossoms - 10" x 14" $0.00 Spring is springing and I couldn't resist finding a cherry blossom photo and painting it. 190321. 10" x 14".	Watercolor: Bursting Cherry Blossom - 20" x 14" $0.00 We usually don't look at cherry blossoms up close, but when you do, you find a flower bursting with stamens and a pistil, with all their attendant shadows. I had fun painting this one. This painting was accepted for the jurored WASH Open Show, "Go with the Flow," September 3-29, 2019 at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center. 190427. Watercolor. 20" x 14". It would make an interesting card or print.
Watercolor: Yellow-Rose Rose - 12" x 9" $0.00 I've been interested lately with combining pen-and-ink with watercolor. Here's a beautiful yellow-red rose from Jean's garden. 190526. Watercolor and ink. 12" x 9". In a private collection of collector, purchased at St. Andrews Episcopal church.	Watercolor: Iris-Lupine Bookmarks - 4.75" x 14" $0.00 I've been playing around with pen-and-ink. Here are some flowers that grow on or property and flower in the spring. We have lots of irises. And three varieties of lupine flower also. These are designed as bookmarks, each 4.75" x 14" to be reduced in size for copies. 190506. Watercolor and ink. 4.75" x 14".
Watercolor: Blue Bearded Iris - 20" x 14" $0.00 My challenge here was to look deeply into a flower to find an interesting, almost abstract shape. The maroon (Bordeaux) background was chosen to go with the flower colors, and is a lot more interesting than green. 190427. Watercolor. 20" x 14".	Watercolor: Brodeia - 12" x 9" $0.00 Here's another pen-and-ink with watercolor. I spotted this wildflower on Oak Knoll Lane near Cramer Rd. outside of Auburn and just had to paint it. I love the intricacy of the umbel of blue to blue-violet flowers. A slightly different variety flowers on our property in June. 190526. Watercolor and ink. 12" x 9". Great for cards and prints.
Watercolor: Gaillardia - 12" x 9" $0.00 This flower was shining brightly after the sun broke through the rain clouds at our local nursery. 190530. Watercolor and ink, 12" x 9".	Watercolor: Apricot Branch Bookmark - 4.75" x 14" $0.00 At the end of June, Jean's apricots were ripe. This branch that was hanging down was rich with fruit. I thought it might make an interesting bookmark. 190706. Watercolor and ink on Arches hot press paper. 4.75" x 14".
Watercolor: Apricot in situ - 10" x 10" $0.00 As Jean's apricots ripened, I thought his apricot, nestled among the leaves might be fun to paint. It's almost abstract. I love the dark patches and the orb of apricot-orange! This painting was accepted for the jurored WASH Open Show, "Go with the Flow," September 3-29, 2019 at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center. 190706. Watercolor and ink. 8" x 8."	Watercolor: Water Lily - 7" x 10" $0.00 Here's a water lily in a pond at the Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, Vermont. 191203. Watercolor, 7" x 10".
Watercolor: Pink Oleander Blossoms - 10" x 7" Next to our driveway we have a large oleander bush with white blossoms. But I thought it would look better with some pink. So, with the license issued me as an artist I changed the color. This was one of the 31 paintings completed in July 2019. 190730. Watercolor and ink, 10" x 7"	Watercolor: Plum Puzzle - 10" x 7" This is one of a series of pen-and-ink watercolors of fruit on Jean's fruit trees. 190817. Watercolor and ink, 10" x 7".
Watercolor: Ruth's Gladiolas, Day 1 - 7" x 10" As part of my 31 paintings in July, I enjoyed sketching my mother-in-law's gladiolas with pen and ink, then adding watercolor. 190720. Watercolor and ink, 7" x 10".	Watercolor: Ruth's Gladiolas, Day 2, 5.5" x 7.5" As part of my 31 paintings in July, I enjoyed sketching my mother-in-law's gladiolas with pen and ink, then adding watercolor. Overnight, she trimmed off some older blossoms, so I sketched it again. 190721. Watercolor and ink, 5.5" x 7.5".
Watercolor: Still Life - Coffee and Pot, Grapes and Bouquet - 7" x 10" I found a wonderful coffee pot at Goodwill which appears in several still lifes. This and several others in my 31-paintings-in-July series were done with pen-and-ink and watercolor. 190723. Watercolor and ink, 7" x 10".	Watercolor: Connie's Easter Tulips - 10" x 7" I love Spring because of all the flowers. My sister-in-law Connie sent me a photo of her Easter tulips in her Lincolnshire garden, which inspired me to paint a small painting on Easter Saturday and Sunday. I love the way this painting makes me feel. 200414. Watercolor and ink, 10" x 7".
Watercolor: Blue and White Iris Bed - 10" x 14" Our irises are blooming. Jean called me to come out and view one spectacular grouping of blue and white irises that stood out against the darker oak forest behind them. Here's my interpretation, which is getting framed and going up on my wall. 200427. Watercolor and ink, 10" x 14".	Watercolor: Purple-Edged Iris - 8" x 8" Here's a spectacular Spring iris from Jean's garden -- white with finely-lined purple edges. 200428. Watercolor, 8" x 8".
Watercolor: Backlit Tulips - 10" x 10" $0.00 This is the second time these tulips have called me to paint them during my Spring 2020 flower painting jag. 200513. Watercolor, 10" x 10".	Watercolor: California Poppies - 7" x 10" Here's a pen-and-ink with watercolor study in preparation for the larger "Field of Poppies." 200605. Watercolor, 7" x 10".
Watercolor: Field of Poppies - 21" x 9" Some years in Northern California it seems that brilliant poppies are everywhere. In this painting I sought to capture the vibrancy of California Poppies growing exuberantly in the fields. The California Poppy is the State Flower of California (Eschscholzia californica). 200630. Watercolor, 21" x 9".	Watercolor: Pink Rose Center - 10" x 10" With this pink rose, I got carried away with cropping. Now it becomes eerie, abstract, fun. 200601. Watercolor, 10" x 10".
Watercolor: Sea Fig on the Sonoma Coast - 14" x 10" $495.00 All up and down the coast of California you'll find brilliant red-pink and yellow flowers growing near the cliffs, characterized by fleshy leaves. They are called fig marigolds, pigface, ice plant, sour fig, and Hottentot fig. No, they're not native to California; they were imported from South Africa to help stabilize the sand dunes, but they've taken off and invaded the coast, and are now displacing native plants. Plant-huggers from the Bay Area take whole weekends to yank them up by the roots and dispose of them -- and feel good about saving the world. But I think they're beautiful. The one shown is Carpobrotus chilensis, "Sea Fig." Juried into the WASH �Go with the Flow� 2020 Open Show, August 25-Oct 25, 2020. 200525. Watercolor, 14" x 10".	Watercolor: Brodeia - 10" x 10" It seems that many years a certain wildflower has only normal distribution where I live. But June 2010 was the year that Brodeia seemed to be found everywhere. I love the delicacy of the umbel form of the flower with its brilliant magenta and blue colors. 200706. Watercolor and ink, 10" x 10".
Watercolor - Rose Bush - 10" x 14" I was hankering to paint a flower, so I went to two nurseries and a public rose garden looking for good candidates. I ended up with flowers from one of Jean's rosebushes, buds just opening up, arranged via PhotoShop. I think the paper-white makes them 'pop' more than if I tried for a careful gradation of color in the lightest areas. Won Award of Merit in the juried WASH �Go with the Flow� 2020 Open Show, August 25-Oct 25, 2020. 200806. Watercolor, 10" x 14". In a private collection: J. Wilson.	Watercolor: Four Poppies - 8" x 8" I love California poppies. Here's an attempt to capture these colorful flowers and their foliage. 201022. Watercolor, 8" x 8".
Watercolor: Lemon Yellow Centerpiece - 10" x 10" I snapped a photo of this centerpiece at a WASH Second-Saturday reception a few years ago. I like the contrasts of the yellow and purple and the intricacy of the lace doily. Fun. 201119. 10" x 10".	Watercolor: Tahoe Lupine Spikes - 14" x 14" On a trip to the South Tahoe area in late June 2018, I saw these beautiful proud clusters of purple flowered spikes. California has about 70 varieties of lupine. I think this is Lupinus polyphyllus, variously known as Blue Pod Lupine or Large Leaf Lupine. I left the most sunlit areas white to bring out the sparkle of the blossoms in full sun. 210309. Watercolor. 14" x 14".
Watercolor: Easter Tulips - 14" x 14" It's Spring and Easter is just around the corner. I wanted to paint something bold and colorful -- like tulips, all erect and perfect and proud. These particular tulips are painted almost entirely with Daniel Smith Quinacridone Coral. Hallelujah! Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed! 210401. Watercolor, 14" x 14". In private collection. JMW.	Watercolor: Dancing in the Fields - 20" x 14" April 2021 was a great month for iris blossoms at our house. One of the most beautiful is a blue-purple iris that grows in abundance around our lawn. I tried to get the color correct with Daniel Smith Cobalt Blue Violet, charged here and there with Cobalt Blue. I love the colors! The background was achieved with Quin Burnt Orange and Indanthrone Blue, couple with lots of salt to make interesting patterns. These irises seem to dance in the sun! Watercolor. Won the coveted Nancy Haley Award in the juried "Go with the Flow" WASH Open Show, August 29-Sept 25, 2021. 210427. 20" x 14".
Watercolor: Poppies among the Lupine - 20" x 14" Spring of 2021 has been a great year for lupine -- large patches of it with here and there the color of a California Poppy. I've been fascinated by the kind of visual rhythm set up in my brain when I am viewing a mass of lupine. All the blues and whites vibrate. That's what I was trying to capture here with a meticulous, petal by petal approach. I hope this reminds you of Spring all over again. Exhibited in the in the juried "Go with the Flow" WASH Open Show, August 29-Sept 25, 2021. 210513. Watercolor, 20" x 14"	Watercolor: Pink Rose on Blue Background - 14" x 14" I was inspired by this very pink rose to do a pink and blue interpretation. 210523. Watercolor, 14" x 14".
Watercolor: Purple-White Iris on Orange Square I was looking for a new way to feature an iris "portrait." The square made a huge difference, with orange being the complement of purple. I wish I hadn't included the Quin Gold background, but -- O well! I do like the looseness of this iris. I'll try to pursue that. 210523. Watercolor, 10" x 10".	Watercolor: African Daisies in Sunlight - 10" x 14" I was in Steve Clark's backyard in Carmichael on a sunny day in May for a watercolor critique group. I couldn't keep my eyes from these beautiful African Daisies ("Pink Sugar" cultivar) brilliant in the sun against the shade of the porch. Part of my 31 Paintings in July Challenge. 210704. Watercolor, 10" x 14".
Watercolor: Geraniums at the Herbal Medicine Shop - 10" x 10" In August 2013 I spent part of a day in the old town of Locke, California on the delta, built in 1915 by Chinese immigrants. This is from a photo I took of some pots on the front porch of a Chinese Herbal Medicine Shop on Main Street. Part of my 31 Paintings in July Challenge. 210719. Watercolor and ink, 10" x 10".	Watercolor: Red Columbine at Lily Lake - 8" x 8" In June 2018 I spent part of a day around Lily Lake, above Fall Leaf Lake in the south Tahoe area. Beside the trail I found this beautiful Red Columbine (Aquilegia formosa). below the columbine is the grain head of a local grass. This painting brings back memories of that peaceful day. Part of my 31 Paintings in July Challenge. 210721. Watercolor, 8" x 8".
Watercolor: Scarlet Gilia ('Skyrocket') - 10" x 10" In June 2018 I spent part of a day around Lily Lake, above Fall Leaf Lake in the south Tahoe area. Beside the trail I found this beautiful Scarlet Gilia ("Skyrocket"; Ipomopsis aggregata), also known as Scarlet Trumpet. So beautiful! So dramatic! So colorful! Part of my 31 Paintings in July Challenge. 210725. Watercolor, 10" x 10".	Watercolor: Newly Opened Pink Rose - 10" x 7" In June I spotted this rose on one of Jean's rosebushes just opening up. I worked faster on this rose, giving it a whole wash of Quin Coral, then doing graded washes from each of the deep crevices. It worked quite well with little touch-up needed. I also experimented with using a sharp point to signify veins in the leaves. That technique requires catching it a just the right degree of moistness. Part of my 31 Paintings in July Challenge. 210727. Watercolor, 10" x 7".
Watercolor: Spring Tulips in Lincolnshire - 14" x 10" $0.00 This is from a photo my sister-in-law Connie took of her Spring tulip garden at her home in Lincolnshire, England. I love the softness of the colors. This is my second pass at it, but this time I worked on a larger watercolor sheet, didn't outline in ink, and cropped closer. 211011. Watercolor, 14" x 10".	Watercolor: Dollar Princess Fuchsia Stained Glass - 10.5" x 10.5" I hate Yupo because it's so difficult to control. But I love Yupo for two things: (1) the wonderful uncontrolled mixing of colors, and (2) its brilliant color. My mother had hanging fuchsia on our back porch when I was growing up, so this reminds me of her. I've been experimenting with a stained-glass effect and Yupo really lends itself to the beauty and luminescence of hand-made colored glass. 211011. Watercolor and ink on Yupo, 10.5" x 10.5"
Watercolor: Naked Ladies in the Garden - 14" x 10" Here are some late-blooming Naked Ladies that Jean planted along our driveway. I love the colors in this painting. Another experiment with a stained glass effect. 210927. Watercolor and ink on hotpress, 14" x 10".	Watercolor: Daffodils Stained Glass - 10.5" x 10.5" Here I am again painting flowers. I was trying to capture the complexity of yellow daffodils, which I had photoshopped into the arrangement I liked. But working with yellows is tricky. I tried Aurolin for the lightest areas, Gamboge for the mediums, and Quin Burnt Orange for the darks. I kind of like the energy. I found it necessary to outline the blossoms and inner coronas with broader Sharpie lines to make the structure clear above the clutter. This was on Yupo that brings a brilliance and variety to the painting that I hope will look like hand-made stained glass. 211023. Watercolor and ink on Yupo, 10.5" x 10.5".
Watercolor: Three Sunflowers - 14" x 10" On a dreary day I wanted the happiness that comes from painting sunflowers. These were carefully arranged from a photo to fit my format. It has a somewhat stained-glassy effect. I do so enjoy painting flowers -- especially on overcast days! 211114. Watercolor and ink on hot press paper, 14" x 10".	Watercolor: Watery Rose - 11" x 14" This is another of Jean's recent roses. I had never painted a rose on Yupo, and I'm not sure i will again. But it does have a kind of watery interest. 211028. Watercolor on Yupo, 11" x 14"
Watercolor: Sunflowers on Yupo - 14" x 11" Using the same design as a painting of "3 Sunflowers" on cold press paper, I tried two things different: (1) I painted it on Yupo, and (2) I used a light blue rather than a dark blue background. I kind of like the cheerful effect. 211113. Watercolor and Ink on Yupo, 14" x 11".	Watercolor: Christmas Poinsettia, 20" x 14" I had enjoyed painting a poinsettia a couple of years ago, so I decided to try it again, larger this time. I started with some photos of a large poinsettia plant at Tina Heck's home -- flooded by light. Then I painted it trying to catch the lights and darks, especially the light on the top leaves. Challenging but fun. 220120. Watercolor, 20" x 14"
Watercolor: Newcastle Mandarins on the Tree - 10" x 14" The annual Mountain Mandarin Festival in Auburn sent me to my files to find photos I had taken at a Newcastle, California mandarin tree orchard in December 2013. In the last few years I've enjoyed the challenge and power of painting flowers and fruit in situ, in their own place, among their own foliage. I love the energy created between the greens and oranges in this painting. I painted this on Thanksgiving Day at our traditional Thanksgiving with Jean's family, this year in Nevada City. 211127. Watercolor, 10" x 14".	Watercolor: Exploding Dahlia - 20" x 14" This particular dahlia looks like it's exploding. I love the energy and action. I used a new color to me for many of the petals -- Quinacridone Burnt Scarlet, with some Quin Coral. On the lower right I used a diluted Bordeaux. Juried into the 2022 WASH Open Show "Go with the Flow," August 16-Sep 10 2022. 220320. Watercolor, 20" x 14".
Watercolor: Apple Blossom Time - 14" x 10" Apple trees are blossoming in late March, and I thought I'd capture a bit of the feel. 220410. Watercolor.	Watercolor: Carnation Cluster - 10" x 10" I love the way the white tips bleed into the reddish centers of this variety of carnations. 220410. Watercolor, 10" x 10".
Watercolor: Ragged Yellow Beauty - 7" x 10" I enjoyed an early morning at Donner State Park on June 22, 2022. As I followed a trail through a meadow along Donner Creek as it drained the lake, I was delighted by the spots of yellow from this yellow flower. With the help of a naturalist at the park I am pretty sure it is Groundsel or Arrowhead Butterweed (Senico triangularis). I was struck by its yellow strap-like rays that seemed ragged and incomplete. In my series of 31 paintings in 31 days of July. 220701. Watercolor and ink. 7" x 10".	Western Yellow Buttercup - 10" x 7" While strolling through the Donner Creek Meadow east of Donner Lake during a June 18, 2022 trip I spotted several clumps of Western Yellow Buttercup (Ranunculus occidentalis). Part of my 31 Paintings in July challenge. 220702. Watercolor and ink. 10" x 7".
Watercolor: Everlasting Pea - 7" x 10" On my trip to Mendocino County the second week of July 2022, I saw these pea plants along roadsides everywhere in purple (as here), red, and white. This is Everlasting Pea or Perennial Sweet Pea (Lathyrus latifolius), from Europe originally, where is has long been used as an ornamental. Part of my 31 Paintings in July challenge. 220727. Ink and watercolor, 7" x 10".	Watercolor: Glowing Dahlia - 20" x 14" I found this gorgeous Dahlia in the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens on a mid-July 2022 trip to Fort Bragg. They have a whole area dedicated to Dahlias with 400 plants and 150 varieties. Most bushes were in full bloom! It was wonderful. This blossom caught my eye especially. 220914. Watercolor, 20" x 14".
Watercolor: Dahlia 2 - 20" x 14" Here's another Dahlia I saw at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens in a mid-July 2022 trip to Fort Bragg. 220925. Watercolor, 20" x 14".	Watercolor: Carol's Rose - 10" x 10" On October 8, Carol Wilson posted a photo of her rose bush on Factbook. One of the roses spoke to me and said 'Paint me,' so I did. I never cease to wonder at the delicate beauty of a rose blossom opening to the sky. It was exhibited in the juried WASH Open Show "Go with the Flow" (August 15-September 10, 2023). 221015. Watercolor, 10" x 10".
Watercolor: Blue Dicks and a Poppy - 10" x 14" On Friday, Jean and I went walking along the Miners' Ravine Trail in Roseville, enjoying the bubbling creek and fields of wildflowers. I was especially struck by a couple of solitary California Poppies (Eschscholzia californica) in a robust field of Blue Dicks (Dipterostemon capitatus) or Wild Hyacinth. I couldn't resist the opportunity to celebrate spring's coming with my interpretation of the color and variety. 230326. Watercolor on hot press paper, 10" x 14".	Watercolor: Bleeding Heart - 20 x 14 in While Jean and I were walking at Green Acres Nursery this spring, I saw such wonderful curves and color in Bleeding Heart (Dicentra sp.). It has long been a favorite garden perennial. It was exhibited in the juried WASH Open Show "Go with the Flow" (August 15-September 10, 2023). 230508. Watercolor, 20" x 14".
Watercolor: Fiddleneck II - 10" x 14" April is the month for Fiddleneck (Amsinckia intermedia) on our property. Like a bracken fern, it gradually uncoils its tiny yellow trumpet flowers like a coiled shepherd's crook, a helicoid cyme. I've painted it several times, this time on a white background in pen and ink with a black outline. 230412. Watercolor and ink, 10" x 14".	Watercolor: Grape Hyacinth - 10" x 14" In early April, tiny Grape Hyacinth (Muscari sp.) was growing along the walkway to Annie's house. In my painting they are much larger than life -- and beautiful! I am experiment with painting plants against a white background. 230412. Watercolor and ink, 10" x 14".
Watercolor: Half Bucket of Tulips, 10" x 14" I was looking for something colorful to paint to express my Springtime spirit and came across a bucket of colorful tulips. I cut it in half for the sake of composition enjoyed modeling each of the blossoms. 230523. Watercolor, 10" x 14".	Watercolor: Purple and White Iris, 10" x 14" The record winter and spring rains resulted in the largest number of iris blossoms in our yard in memory. This purple and off-white blossom was particular beautiful. 230518. Watercolor, 10" x 14".
Watercolor: Seven Poppies, 14" x 10" The record winter and spring rains this year brought and abundance of poppies. These seven blossoms seemed to fit nicely together. Watercolor, 14" x 10".	Watercolor: Ruth's Rose - 20" x 14" On Memorial Day 2023 we were invited to a wonderful family gathering at Tina and Jackie's home in Nevada City. Outside the northwest corner of the patio was a 10 to 12-foot rosebush, crowned by a sunlit-shining rose that I sought to memorialize here. It was exhibited in the juried WASH Open Show "Go with the Flow" (August 15-September 10, 2023) and won the coveted Dorothy Steed Award. 230621. Watercolor, 20" x 14".
Watercolor: Seep-Spring Monkey Flower - 10" x 7" This Spring I observed a lone Seep-Spring Monkey Flower (Mimulus guttatus) plant growing along the ditch next to the road. It's a beautiful, delicate flower! Part of my 31 paintings in July challenge. 230708. Watercolor, 10" x 7".	Watercolor: Purple Morning Glory - 7" x 7" On my way to the edge of Lake Natomas, I saw at a residence this beautiful Purple Morning Glory vine (Ipomoea indica). The blossom just begged to be painted. Part of my 31 Paintings in July Challenge. 230730. Watercolor, 7" x 7".
Watercolor: Hen and Chickens, 7" x 10" I always admire succulents, especially Hen and Chickens (or House Leek, Sempervivum tectorum) for its beauty and hardiness. Part of my 31 Paintings in July Challenge. 230730. Watercolor, 7" x 10".	Watercolor: Tulip Center, 7" x 7" This is a striking top-down view of a tulip. Part of my 31 Paintings in July Challenge. 230727. Watercolor, 7" x 7".
Watercolor - Tulips, 10" x 14" I love painting tulips because of their brilliant color. Part of my 31 Paintings in July Challenge. 230724. Watercolor, 10" x 14".	Watercolor: Orange Day Lily - 10" x 7" Jean summoned me urgently to see an orange day lily outside the house. "They only last for a day," she said, and it was nearly dusk. There I found a beautiful single blossom of a Tiger Lily (Hemerocallis fulva), also known as the orange day-lily, tawny daylily, corn lily, fulvous daylily, ditch lily or Fourth of July lily. The last of my 31 Paintings in July Challenge for 2023. I couldn't resist. 230730. Watercolor, 10" x 7".
Watercolor: Lodgepole Pine Sprig - 14" x 10" I enjoyed moseying along the nature trail at Donner State Park that winds along both sides of Donner Creek as exits the lake. In the forest alongside the creek was this beautiful sprig of Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta), the only two-needle pine in the Sierra. I masked some of the sunlit needles, then did the background quite wet. After it dried, I removed the mask and painted the twigs and needles. Lots of fun! Exhibited in the “Awash with Color” WASH Show at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center, April 2 to 20, 2024, where it won an Honorable Mention. 230824. Watercolor, 14" x 10".	Watercolor: Quaking Aspen Sprig - 10" x 10" Lily Lake in the south Tahoe area is a beautiful, peaceful spot, surrounded by Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides). This sun-drenched sprig had such a beautiful curve that I had to paint it. As I walked along the trail, I could see that the beavers had felled a few Aspens. 230825. Watercolor, 10" x 10".
Watercolor: Autumn Maple - 10" x 10" In early October 2023, we went with our granddaughters to Bishop's Pumpkin Farm in Wheatland. Lots of fun, lots of pumpkins. But I was particularly intrigued by a fallen Silver Maple leaf (Acer saccharinum), just starting to turn into its autumn brilliance. I tried to reproduce this edging into fall feeling in this interpretation. Silver maple is native to the Eastern US and Canada. 231018. Watercolor and ink on hot press paper, 10" x 10".	Watercolor: Tahoe's Fireweed - 7" x 10" I went to Lake Tahoe looking for wildflowers, mid-August 2023, late for Spring wildflowers, but I reasoned that they might be late because of the record snowfall last winter. Nevertheless, I found over a dozen wildflowers, especially present everywhere was Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium). Many small flowers, kind of leggy -- a colorful annual, though I'm not sure I captured the exact color here. 231014. Watercolor, 7" x 10".
Watercolor: Tarweed or Common Madia Flowers - 7" x 10" In the Fall, the brown fields on our property are alive with a tarweed, specifically Common Madia (Madia elegans densifolia) in the Tarweed Tribe of the Sunflowers. In the mornings they're open. By the time the heat arrives, the flowers have wisely closed up, but when the cool of the morning returns you can see their happy faces once again. 231110. Watercolor, 7" x 10".	Watercolor: Season's End - 14" x 20" I saw these Red Maple (Acer rubrum) leaves on a photo trip I took with my son Dan in mid-December 2023. I found them near Penngrove, south of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California They represent the last vestige of color before winter's bleakness. 231222. Watercolor, 14" x 22".
Freshly Plucked Persimmon - 10" x 7" In early December 2023, I found a basket of freshly picked persimmons that a neighbor was giving away. This one was still attached to its stem, what made for an interesting composition. The cloth underneath is one from my mother from her days at a mission school in the Appalachians. 240106. Watercolor, 10" x 7".	Watercolor: Spring Tulips on Cold Press - 14" x 10" I love spring because of its brilliant color. These tulips make me feel happy. 240317. Look for "Spring Tulips on Yupo" for a comparison. Watercolor on Arches Cold Press paper, 14" x 10".
Watercolor: Four Tulips and a Stub - 14" x 10" When I opened our local library e-mail newsletter, I saw a beautiful photo of a bed of tulips. This is my interpretation of a cropped version. I tried to catch the feel of numerous happy spring tulips in the background, while focusing on four in the front. 240401. Watercolor, 14" x 10"	Watercolor: Crimson Star Columbine - 10" x 10" I love the intricacy and delicacy of columbines! This one I saw at Green Acres Nursery. It is a cultivar (Crimson Star) of the Colorado Blue Columbine (Aquilegia coerulea). 240401. Watercolor. 10" x 10".
Watercolor: Spring Tulips on Yupo - 14" x 10" I love spring because of its brilliant color. These tulips make me feel happy. Look for "Spring Tulips on Cold Press" for a comparison. Jean's comment was that the "Spring Tulips on Cold Press" was "nice, "Spring Tulips on Yupo" was "interesting." :-) It won WASH Painting of the Month for April 2024. 240428. Watercolor on Yupo, 14" x 10".	Watercolor: Cluster of African Daisies - 14" x 10" $0.00 While Jean and I were walking at the local Green Acres Nursery in March I was struck by vibrancy of this bed of African Daisies (Osteospermum ecklonis, "Blue-Eyed Beauty"). I love the bright yellow with the centers that pop out at you! 240420. Watercolor, 14" x 10".
Watercolor: White Watsonia, 14" x 20" The April 2024 Chamber of Commerce Mixer this year was at Horton's Iris Farm in Penryn again. I've painted a lot of irises, but I hadn't painted the distinguished white Watsonia plants standing proudly over to the side. To paint this I masked the flowers and stems, painted the background in one wet session. Then peeled off the mask and painted the stems and flowers. 240511. Watercolor, 14" x 20".	Watercolor: Bold Sunflower on Yupo - 10" x 10" As Jean and I were walking at the Green Acres Nursery near us I saw a happy sunflower that inspired this painting on Yupo. 240513. Watercolor and ink on Yupo, 10" x 10".
Watercolor: Geraniums in Blue Planter (Yupo) - 10" x 14" During the 2024 Mother's Day Master Gardener Tour of backyard gardens in Rocklin, I was struck by these geraniums in a large planter pot by the door to the patio. I changed the pot's color to Thalo Blue and painted on Yupo to keep the intense colors. Juried into the WASH Open Show, July 9 to Aug 3, 2024 at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center where it won an Honorable Mention. 240518. Watercolor on Yupo, 10" x 14".	Watercolor: White and Purple Iris on Yupo - 10" x 10" My struggling attempt to paint the subtlety and beauty of one of Jean's irises on an unsubtle surface. 240531. Watercolor on Yupo, 10" x 10"
Watercolor: Crimson Columbine near Sierra City, 20" x 14" On a roadtrip with my son David in mid-July we saw this beautiful Crimson Columbine (Aquilegia formosa) along the moist bank at the roadside just east of Sierra City, CA. It is one of my favorite native flowers. I've only seen it in the high Sierras, but it grows all over California and the West, though not in the Central Valley, also known as the Western or Red Columbine. What I like about this picture is the wonderful gentle arc of the stem, and the bright flower against the abundant foliage. Won the November 2024 WASH Painting of the Month. 240821. Watercolor. 20" x 14".	Watercolor: Opening Stained-Glass Rose - 10" x 10" Roses are so delicate. I wanted to see how to adapt stained-glass look to a rose. This was fun to do, but no longer delicate. 240911. Watercolor and ink on Yupo, 10" x 10".
Watercolor: Secret Ravine Roses - 10" x 14" In early June our SketchCrawl group went to paint at Secret Ravine Winery, on Barton Road, Loomis, near our home This group of roses near the main building attracted me, since scrunched together for composition purposes. We see everything from the bud to the fully open flower, and all in between. Won the October 2024 WASH Painting of the Month. 240918. Watercolor, 10" x 14".	Watercolor: Bird of Paradise (Yupo) - 14" x 10" When I preached in November 2024 at Mayhew Community Baptist Church in Rancho Cordova, one of the members always brings flowers from her garden to beautify the sanctuary. That Sunday she brought a Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae), a native of South Africa. It was stunning and inspired this painting. I used Yupo to try to capture the brilliant colors of this flower. 241121. Watercolor and ink on Yupo, 14" x 10".
Watercolor: 3 Red Tulips - 14" x 10" I love tulips for their nice contained shapes as well as their brilliant color. 241213. Watercolor, 14" x 10".	Watercolor: 4 Red Tulips in a Field - 14" x 10" I love the color of the tulip field behind these four tulips in the foreground. 241213. Watercolor, 14" x 10".