1125 Stop and Linger

 

You may remember me mentioning the Chicago Botanic Gardens as a favorite place of mine to visit.  The water lily gardens are always filled with wide-eyed photographers, both professional and amateurs like me.  We just can't get enough of the many beautiful varieties of water lilies.  There are lily pads of all colors and sizes, even one variety with pads two feet in diameter.  

Water lilies are not easy to paint.  Make a mistake and you've painted pac man.  

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1125-stop-and-linger/969591

1048-R Across the Zig Zag Bridge

 You are correct if you think this looks familiar to you.  I originally painted it a few months ago, but wasn't completely happy with it.  The flowers were too big for the scene, and when you look at something long enough, sometimes you figure out the problem.  Working from photos, while very enjoyable to me, presents the tendency to get too detailed without painting the essence of a scene.  The inclination is to paint every detail,  but Chicago painter and teacher extraordinaire, Steve Puttrich reminds us that " it's a poem, not a police report, !"  

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1048-r-across-the-zig-zag-bridge/968142

136 Pink Rose

My Aunt Mamie grew exquisite award winning roses and I wish I had learned more from her.  I know almost nothing about roses (shhh...don't tell my garden club) except that they are beautiful to look at and difficult to paint.

Peach Rose

The Chicago Botanic Garden has such a beautiful rose garden.  I wish I had made note of the names of the roses I photographed.  They always have the most glamorous names.