Pick Your Peony Cup

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

I took a break from painting people scenes to take advantage of my blooming peonies. I missed some of them, but better late than never.

A while back I did a little color chart to help me understand my pink and red options. I used only the colors I have, and played around with different mixes. Camera's don't pick up the subtle differences between the reds, so they all look the same in the picture. Unfortunately it's the same for reds in my reference photos. That is why I paint from life whenever I can, so that I understand what is missing in the photos.

Dive Into Peonies

 

Click Here to Bid - 6x6in. - oil on panel

We had some really lovely peonies this year. Not only do I have a few plants myself, there is a wonderful place in town that has a lovely display every year. I got photos of the ones in town (like this one), and did a few from life of my own (you'll see those soon). They are some of the few flowers you can grow here that the deer don't devour.

Old Friends

 

Click Here to Purchase - $250 - 8x8in. - oil on panel

Here are two peonies from my garden this year. I cut them when they were first blooming (they were a pretty dark pink) and took a million photos. Then one day I came into my studio and found them looking like this. The colors had changed quite a bit, and they were wide open. It was a whole new look, and I loved it!

Apart Together

 

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - OIL - bidding starts at $100)

Here's another attempt at suggesting peonies. I've been painting more regularly lately, and have to say that working daily (at anything) is the only way to grow! I can think about painting every day, but unless I'm also doing it, I'm not really learning. Maybe I should write a book about it - oh yeah, I think I already did! Oh the lessons we learn, over and over and over.

Peony Sisters

sold.

My friend Pat gave me these lovely peonies from her garden. Unfortunately they didn't last long, once cut, so I only got one chance to paint them. But boy were they beautiful!