Category: Botanical Style Painting

Distracting the Distractions

Ideas to distract from distractions to painting can be hard to come by but here are a few possibilities.

In our crazy world today, distractions keeping us from our art making come at us from all sides, physical and digital. Distractions come in all shapes, colors and forms.  Its a daily battle.  What’s an artist to do to stay on track? This is my daily battle. Its not an easy one. For those who have no trouble shutting themselves off for studio time, I aspire to be more like you. Searching for answers from other artists, I came up with a few possibilities.

Belinda Delpesco has several good suggestions. Number 3 on her list is, “Make a date night with your art supplies. Ink in the time on the calendar, plan your pursuit for that slot, make some art, and then write down what you liked about it.” This, to me, is a great idea.  Its harder to give in to distractions when you have planned your time.  The drive is stronger when you are looking at your calendar and it is staring back at you.

In an article for Light Space Time Art Gallery, Carolyn Edlund speaks of the problem of “People Pleasing.”  This can be particularly difficult if you have a family at home or young children. Some of us have a difficult time saying, “No.” Edlund describes people pleasing as, “wanting to make everyone around you happy by doing whatever is asked of you.” Saying no may be easier if you have something specific planned.

My favorite suggestion comes from Vicky Rubin for Skinny Artist. Rubin’s suggestion is “a change of scenery can help you focus.” The article goes on to say, “Taking a walk or a workout is a healthy and inspiring distraction.”  Being Mindful is another recommendation, “enjoy and experience sensations of smell, feel, and touch.” Healthy and inspiring all at once.

All three of these articles articulate why I began putting together the artist’s retreats.  The retreat forces people to make a date on the calendar for the retreat, For one week end, people pleasing comes to a halt. Lastly, and more importantly, the change of scenery connects to nature, with all the sights, sounds, and smells of growing things.Taking a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life may be just what is needed to give your art a new kickstart. I always try to bring back, a leaf, a twig, a pine cone, an acorn or some other artifact to remind me of the sensations of being in nature. Sometimes just looking at that tiny bit of nature is enough to get inspiration flowing.

Join us on an Art in Nature Retreat!

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Summer Wonders

As summer heat slows everything down, 2 beauties begin to proliferate, flowers and butterflies. So many things are wilting in the heat but Black-eyed Susans are taking over the flower beds. The lantana also seems to love the heat. There among the flowers are where the butterflies are too.

Tiger Swallowtail

Former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson is quoted as saying, “Where flowers bloom there is hope.” Letterpress Play says, “They represent joy and growth, and they bring color and wonderment to everything they touch.” Letterpress Play has a paper toy and greeting card that turns into a vase with paper flowers. 15% of proceeds they give to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. When things continue to heat up through July and into August, the flowers do give us hope.

As the butterflies flutter all around, they remind us of the cycles of life. While they are flitting around they are laying eggs so the next generation can begin the process of overeating to building a cocoon to transforming into a beautiful butterfly to giving joy. In a post about butterflies, Everyday Power. com tells us, “We can learn a lot of lessons about our own growth process from the butterfly life cycle.” That is so true.

Monarch

As the summer heat drags on limiting many outdoor activities, it’s an easy thing to look out the window and marvel at the butterflies among the black-eyed Susans. It’s also a great time to paint flowers and butterflies. Not a bad idea to contemplate the cycles of life while painting the summer beauties either. And maybe wonder with hope for fall and the next cycle of life.

An Art and Nature Tonic

An artist’s retreat in the beauty of nature is better than a tonic for refreshing the soul and creating new inspiration.

The first artists retreat, The Art of Nature Immersion Weekend, was a wonderful and refreshing time spent in beautiful surroundings with fellow artists and some family and friends too. Reelfoot Lake State Park and Reelfoot Federal Wildlife Reserve were packed with inspiration at every turn. The most important factor was the time spent in gearing down and taking it all in. It was better than any man-made tonic!

Humans in Nature.org says. “The combination of art and nature allows people to explore the natural world, create more profound meaning for themselves, and connect people through understanding and viewing their artwork.” I couldn’t agree more. There is just something about being out in nature that inspires in so many ways and brings us humans closer together.

Somehow creating art out in nature rather than in the studio changes everything. It seems to make everything more vivid, more real. More inspiring. Our whole approach to art can change when spending time in nature. Nature becomes the art in all its myriad of possibilities. Art-is-Fun.com says, “The exploration of nature in art can take endless forms, because nature provides us with such a vast wealth of inspiring phenomena.”

Seeing what we did on our Art in Nature Retreat speaks for itself. The following are photos from our time at Reelfoot Lake State Park in West Tennessee and Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge. Our pontoon boat captain and guide, Colton, a recent graduate of Murray State University, shared a wealth of knowledge. He pointed out trees, birdsong, all manner of aquatic life and even a water snake (yuck!) sunning himself on a fallen log.

Enjoy the photos as they tell the story better than I can.

Pencils and paint

When looking for a way to cut through hours of practice consider using the watercolor over pencil technique for Botanical style painting.

The technique of watercolor over pencil or graphite is a great way to get fine detail in botanical style painting. The finer points of a flower or leaf can be tricky requiring a good bit of practice to perfect accurate brush strokes. Basic drawing skills are somewhat necessary but patience is not. Patience is a valuable trait in an artist. Not everybody has it. When looking for a way to cut through hours of practice consider using the watercolor over pencil technique. Many hours of frustration can be avoided. Plus you’ll fool lots of people with your eye for detail!

A wonderful book, Botanical Illustration with the Eden Project outlines this technique in an easy to follow instruction with several examples. According to the examples, a detailed drawing of a plant is made including all shading. A beautiful finished drawing will provide the best base for watercolor to be laid over. One of the biggest considerations is the use of the proper pencil.

Knowing which pencil is which is one of the best tips for the watercolor over pencil technique. As Kevin Hayler of the Wildlife Art Store says, “Choosing the wrong pencil for an underdrawing will ruin your watercolor painting.” He has a great article on different pencils that is well worth a read here. Knowing your pencils can make the difference in a successful painting or one that looks like mud!

It was very discouraging, when first looking at this technique without knowing how vital the pencil issue was. My first effort, this delicate peach colored rose, resulted in particles of graphite coming up in the paint. The beautiful color was lost. Back to the drawing board. It looked like a total failure but instead of giving up, a pencil study was in order. And it was revealing. One of the biggest things I discovered was the use of H pencils instead of the standard drawing pencils in the B’s.

The H pencils are more commonly found in mechanical and architectural drawing. In art and office stores, that’s where the widest range can be found. Drawing supply areas in stores will usually just go up as far as 2H or 4H. The higher the number, the lighter the pencil. My experiments led me to stick with 6H up to 9H for most of the drawing. 2-4H pencils were better for the darker details. This technique has become the only one I use for botanical painting. Experiments are ongoing so that could change!

Until then, enjoy this video on watercolor over pencil. Happy Painting!

The Painting Tube

Here’s the book: https://www.amazon.com/Botanical-Illustration-Course-Eden-Project/dp/0713490748?crid=15XN3ZBEJODUF&keywords=botanical+illustration+course+with+the+eden+project&qid=1685996672&sprefix=eden+project+botanical%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1&linkCode=li2&tag=marygwynsart-20&linkId=268cf1671e7e422b5f486504f2df5c73&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank">""Eden Project

Learn more about The Eden Project

An Elegant Iris

The elegant simplicity of a white iris provides powerful artistic inspiration.

What could be more refined than the simple elegance of a white iris? The sparkles of morning dew resemble ice crystals on the pure white of newly fallen snow. The ruffles of the petals and falls are as velvety and flowing as a spinning dancer’s dress. The fragrance is more glorious than expensive perfume. It may be difficult to capture all that with paint, but I will try. So will others. It’s a subject that a painter cannot resist. Why do we do it? Because we must. The inspiration sits there screaming to be painted.

Since my iris was a gift, I am not sure of the variety. Susanne Holland Spicker writing for the blog of “The American Iris Society” describes a variety of white iris she grew up with called, “Skating Party”. She describes “Skating Party” as one of the first to bloom. My white iris is the first in my garden and far ahead of the others which don’t even have buds yet. Sticker also says “Skating Party” has “pure white falls and lavish ruffles” as well as a beautiful aroma. That would seem to describe mine.

pencil on paper

GardeningKnowHow lists a variety of white iris called “Immortality” as highly fragrant, with pure white, large ruffled petals. Hmmm.. “Immortality” would also appear to be my variety. GardeningKnowHow goes on to say that “Immortality” often re-blooms in the fall. I may have to wait until fall to know if I have “Skating Party” or “Immortality” in my garden and future painting but that won’t change the current artistic plans.

Susanne Spicker, in her blog post, states, “I’ve heard it said that there is nothing more beautiful than a simple white flower.” Right now, I can’t think of anything more beautiful either. Apparently, White Iris Dress concurred as they named their shop of beautiful formal dresses in Chicago for this lovely flower. Does it really matter which variety I have to be worthy of painting? Absolutely not. As artists, we paint what inspires us. Inspiration has struck with this elegant iris. Therefore, paint I must!

Fascinating Ancient Flower

Though frequently mistaken, the Lotus Flower and the Water Lily are not the same flower or even in the same family.

The Lotus flower and the Water Lily have always been mistaken for the same flower, but they are not even in the same family. The yonkipin flower is a beautiful sight to see at Reelfoot Lake during the summer months. My grandmother and great aunt would always look forward to seeing them in bloom. I’ve recently researched this flower and it’s origins, and found it to be quite fascinating.

I learned that Yonkipin is a variety of Lotus flower, and that Lotus flowers and waterlilies are not the same plant. Lotus flowers have deep spiritual significance for several cultures. Lotus blooms rise above the water and are rooted in the mud. Waterlilies float on top of the water.

According to Floraly, the lotus flower as been around for at least 100 million years and has been found in a number of fossils. The lotus flower is a symbol of spiritual enlightenment, beauty, fertility, purity, prosperity and eternity. It is the national flower of India and Vietnam.

The botanical name for the North American Lotus Flower is the Nelumbo Lutea Willd and is in the family of Nelumbonaceae Name That Plant tells us. The North American variety is primarily seen in the Southeastern states. The water lily may be similar in appearance but its botanical name is Nympaeaceae and it grows completely differently. Lotus flowers are rooted in the mud and rise up above the water to stand alone, a fact that partly contributes to the spiritual mystique surrounding them. Water lilies float on top of the water and do not have the ancient history of the lotus.

Growing up with a flower that is common to you can diminish appreciation for its uniqueness. I took for granted the beauty of the Yonkipins that begin blooming in late spring. It wasn’t until I began to paint them that they Took on a whole new sense of fascination. Learning about how fortunate I was to grow up with these beauties has made me want to paint more of them. One thing is for sure: I’ll never call them water lilies again.

Join us as we gather at Reelfoot Lake in remote West Tennessee to paint these beauties, as well as the stunning sunsets. For more information, see below!

Painting Reelfoot Lake as the Lotus Flower blooms.

Anticipating Joy

Hope! New Life! Survival! Beauty! Signs are pointing toward spring popping out all over. The Anticipation is overwhelming!

Hope! New life! Winter is passing. Survival. Spring is on the way. We made it past that week of horrible cold. And here is the proof. Life goes on. We do what we have to do and we go on. As do all living things. And we look for signs than we have survived another harsh and gloomy winter. Here’s my sign.

As I was planting my iris bed last fall, this little guy must have fallen out of the bag. He popped up just off the patio so I know I didn’t put him there. I don’t even know which variety he is. I won’t find out until May. Anticipation. In the meantime, I am doing my best to guard him from the extremely large paws of my 5 month old puppy. He has survived the odds so far. I’ll do my best to keep that going. He’s my joyful sign of hope!

Iris, miniature oil

In her blog, “Filling the Jars” Julie Hage gives 21 beautiful quotes about Spring. By far, my favorite is from Henry David Thoreau, ““One attraction in coming to the woods to live was that I should have leisure and opportunity to see the spring come in.” Not all of us can take time out from life like Thoreau did so we find our opportunities to see spring where ever we can.

What does that have to do with art? Art is what we do to express the wonder of life. If we can’t take off to the woods, we paint it. And we share it. Thoreau couldn’t take his woods to people so he wrote about it. The woods came alive through his words. That’s what we do with paint.

As I wait for May to arrive, I will anticipate how I will paint this little iris guy. I’ll imagine what color the petals will be and how tall he’ll grow. How many blooms will he put out? Will I paint in oil or watercolor? Maybe some more silverpoint iris.

Spring is an amazing time of expectation. New life is arriving. The signs are popping out all around. Spring is a wonderful time for artists. Anticipating so much inspiration surrounding everything, every day. How joyful is spring!

The Art of Nature Immersion Weekend at Reelfoot Lake

The Art of Nature Immersion Weekend at Reelfoot Lake is a great opportunity to get away from it all and join other artists and nature lovers for a weekend filled with nature, food, fun and fellowship as we make art together in the midst of a beautiful Wildlife Refuge.

Here’s a great opportunity to experience the healing power of art:

Join us for

The Art of Nature Immersion weekend at Reelfoot Lake

June 23,24 and 25th. Reelfoot Lake State Park, Tiptonville, TN and Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge

Not only is art healing, but nature is as well. Combining the two makes for a double whammy!!

Who is this week end for:

  • anybody who wants to get away and just paint
  • anyone who loves painting beautiful places and beautiful flowers
  • anyone who wants a time to destress with nature and art
  • beginners, mid-level and experienced artists will all be able to enjoy this time to create without pressure

Reelfoot Lake is a special place. It became a healing place for me during a tough time in my life. That’s why I return to Reelfoot in my painting over and over. Maybe it will do the same for you!

Get a way from life for a weekend and enjoy creating art in the beauty of nature. You could make some new friends too!

Space is limited so sign up now! Discount for early signers!

We will be staying in the Cabins run by Tennessee State Parks. Check out these beautiful cabins on the water.

Included is a pontoon boat excursion to the inlets where the unique Reelfoot Lake Lotus Flower blooms. We’ll get instructed in smart phone flower photography on the boat. We’ll return to the Pavilion at Bluebank park for watercolor painting of the Lotus Flower.

Friday the 23rd will kick off our art immersion with wildflower colored pencil painting of the flowers that grow along the shore. Maybe you’ll paint a wild water iris!

All meals are included! Friday night supper will be at Bluebank Restaurant on the water where we’ll follow supper with watercolor pencil painting of the legendary Reelfoot Sunsets from the dock at Bluebank.

Sunday morning we’ll paint the birds, herons, egrets, osprey and more that are abundant through out the state park and wildlife refuge.

Price includes all meals and double occupancy room with two queen beds.

email me with questions: marygwyn@marygwynsart.com

Shining the Artistic Light

One of the most rewarding things about teaching art workshops is the wonder of how unique artistic talent is to each individual. I don’t teach workshops where everybody expects to paint the same thing and have them all come out looking like a row of cookie cutter canvases. The freedom for each artist to express what is inside themselves makes for constant surprises. It is truly rewarding to watch personal expression reveal itself through art. It is like a window into the soul what might otherwise stay hidden from the outside world. The cookie cutter can’t unmask the heart. The heart of all art is in the freedom of allowing each individual to bring out their own personal inner light.

Changeable artistic expression is a great way to experiment with what is inside working its way out. One day the feeling may be one of quiet, of solitude and the art that is made will reflect that. A maple leaf painted with slow, painstaking detail comes from the still quiet heart. Another day when the fall wind is crisp but the sun is breaking through the clouds bringing a light heartedness depicted with a few quick swishes of bright color on the page. Instantly, joy pops out for the world to see. (Let’s Make Art can show you how to do these!) There are as many ways to depict maple leaves as there are artists ready to depict. And as many maple leaves as there are ways to capture their essence through art.

One artist chooses the softness and gentle color changes of a sweet gum leaf with its starfish-like structure. She expresses silence and an inner choice of order and attention to structure. God’s amazing creation in fine detail. While another artist decides to go for bold bright color in a “larger than life” oak leaf hydrangea. Two different artists, two different leaves, two different approaches. We would never see this beautiful expression of uniqueness if we were all painting the same exact thing, exactly alike.

Last Saturday at Watkins College of Art at Belmont University, in Nashville, Tennessee, our workshop focused on painting fall leaves and flowers. We decided to go foraging around the campus to see what sparked our imaginations. Oprah Winfrey is quoted as saying, “You have to find what sparks a light in you so that you in your own way can illuminate the world.” Giving artists the freedom to let the sparks be lit is a wondrous thing. You never know what might be expressed. Every little bit of expressed light means that much less darkness. While I am there to give direction and impart knowledge of skills to use, my biggest job is to stand back out of the way when the light starts shining! And that is a thing of beauty!

Gotta Start Somewhere

Botanical Style painting is what I return to over and over when I’m in need of soothing and stress relief. Even painting broccoli can be soothing.

Me? I started with broccoli. Yep! That’s the first Botanical Style watercolor I did in the first week of Botanical painting at The Corcoran College of Art of George Washington University. I was really getting into those little florets, painting every little circle when the teacher stopped by my desk and asked if I wasn’t getting tired of the repetition. I wasn’t until she burst my little bubble. It was very soothing progressing slowly through each meticulous green sprig on each bigger sprig. I made a discovery that day with my friend, the stalk of broccoli. This botanical style painting thing was very soothing. I couldn’t wait to get to the next painting. At the time I was in need of some serious soothing and this type of painting was doing it for me. I did progress beyond the broccoli fairly quickly and moved on to tulip bulbs, then tulips and beyond. I shoved the broccoli painting into a file in the filing cabinet and forgot about it until this week.

I the found the broccoli painting while cleaning out old files. The memories came flooding back. That particular class was held at The Corcoran’s Georgetown campus in a beautiful old restored school house building similar to the elementary school I went to in Dyersburg, TN. The building had big old pane glass windows that went to the top of the high ceilinged classroom flooding the room with light. The downtown Washington campus was in the basement of the museum with only fluorescent lighting and a few stingy windows at sidewalk level so we could see feet going by outside. I loved the Georgetown campus even though it meant longer travel time and a bus ride on top of the usual train ride to get to campus. The botanical painting class got me started in what has become a teaching passion. I love to see other people discover how soothing this style of painting is. My final painting in that class was of a tulip through the stages of growth from bulb to flower. That painting hangs over my fireplace to this day.

Most of my oil paintings are completely different from the botanical style paintings. I love those too. The oil paintings provoke more emotion and energetic feelings. The botanical style paintings are calming and comforting, invoking memories of quiet garden walks and the smell of flowers. That was the last broccoli I painted. Even though it was soothing, it did not remind me of the smell of flowers! But those little florets gave me time to stop, take a breath and do something slow and methodical. Botanical Style painting is something I return to over and over when I’m in need of stress relief. It is the perfect antidote to the crazy world out there. Now I’m more likely to paint an iris than broccoli. But Hey! Gotta start somewhere! And we can all use a little stress relief.

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