Watercolor Inspiration: Wildflowers & Petunias

I spent Saturday morning at the Dawson Creek farmer's market. My little table groaned under the weight of handmade cards, art & craft supplies, paintings and sewing goods made with my daughters. The farmer's market is an opportunity for me to participate in community, and that's important. Painting can be so solitary, and if I'm not careful, I can become invisible in a sense. Talking with people at the farmer's market and sharing my art is a great way to reach out to people who might not otherwise see my work. And I love meeting people! 

I also brought my paints along to the market, and in my position by the front door, I could see the gorgeous flowerpots of another vendor. I confess I was a little worried he'd sell this big pot of petunias and lobelia before I finished painting it! I've titled this piece Market Garden.

After painting exclusively from photos for so many years, I am really developing a passion for painting from life. Last night my daughters and I took a walk and picked as many varieties of wildflowers as we could find. So many blooming right now, and my son and husband are miserable with hay fever (my boy's eyes swell up and it's horrible to see), so this bouquet was placed in my studio above the garage, since I didn't want to risk bringing it in the house. We identified paintbrush, lupine, pea vine, fireweed, harebells and a type of orchid. Wildflowers don't last long, so I don't usually encourage the girls to pick too many, but we couldn't resist this wild arrangement. We even found a few wild strawberries to snack on as we walked.

"Market Garden" measures 9" x 12" and available for purchase. Email me to purchase.