Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Chasing Irises

After I'd convinced Judy Dahl to take a break from barns to give painting irises a whirl, we spent yesterday on her patio doing just that ...


With our little trailer, Bill and I took a five week road trip to Maryland and back. This recent travel gave us a splendid jump on summer. Loving irises as I do, and knowing what marvelous painting subjects they are, I delighted in photographing any we happened to find on our journey across the continent.

 
Claresholm irises

The day after our return, on my way to the garage to fetch my bicycle, I photographed the irises blooming in our garden. Rather than take the camera back into the house, I put it in my pocket for the ride. After chasing irises across the USA, imagine my delight at finding many Claresholm gardens presenting a fabulous assortment right here in our own town!

 

In the beginning .... 


Just to make things more complicated, I decided we should paint the shape of the purple and white iris using the colours of the lavender/fuchsia/burgundy one.


Judy takes her face painting seriously!

In case you're wondering, Judy and I did swap places at the table!



Latin Lovely   6" x 8" oil   framed $175.
Photographing irises at the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington, Kentucky

Stay tuned, and please check back for more iris paintings!

4 comments:

  1. I do love your iris paintings!!! I was too busy to get around to Dashwood Manor to photograph their irises this year but I have passed a house that has some divine rust and yellow ones. Now I just have to try and remember where those were. LOL

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    1. Many thanks, Sharlene. I expect the irises have come and gone in Victoria, when here they are only just in their prime!

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  2. Gorgeous, gorgeous painting, Alice, and I LOVE Judy's face painting job almost as much as her iris! What a marvelous day you had yesterday - thanks for sharing it with us.

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    1. Thanks, Win!
      Judy had paint on her face multiple times during the day, but she had cleaned up for the photo ... but hey I know how to use PhotoShop! She also had it all over her sweater, arms, the chair. Brian was right to inside we not use the chairs with the nice cushions!

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