1229. Backward Roll

I have friends and relatives who are or were gymnasts, so I couldn't help but think of them with this onion's position on my still life table.  The onions in my rooftop garden had a second growth spurt of green chutes after a warm spell.  Some have both the green scapes and dried scapes attached, which I'm sure you will see in a future painting.  

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1229--backward-roll/1090848
 

1120. Goodfellas

 

I grew the onions pictured in my rooftop garden, their development was interesting to watch throughout the season.   Can you guess the reference to Goodfellas?

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1120-goodfellas/1081902

1210. Garden Party

 

I really enjoyed making this painting.  I love all the colors and although it may look like it was an easy painting, it was not.  I struggled for a long time before I found my way.  

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1210-garden-party/1059105

1084 Misty Morning

 

The days are getting shorter and the rooftop garden is struggling to stay alive and productive.  Soon there will be a lot of hard work to break it down, and at least one elevated bed will need taking apart before winter.  The cooler nights and fading plant life are a strong indicators that you-know-what is coming and I for one hate to see summer ending.  

I got an early start on my painting today.  It was grey and misty outside and I was struck by how vibrant the geraniums are on our patio.  Have you noticed that Nature's color palette in general is more brilliant in the fall?  

Day 21 of the Strada Easel September challenge

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1084-misty-morning/930813

1077 Growth Spurt

 This year we modified our front patio gardens and we wanted to start out with plantings that were easy to find and reasonably priced.  We decided on Impatiens, and chose magenta/orange mix for 2 beds and 2 beds of white.  When I planted them, they looked so wimpy in the beds, but look at them now!!!  It's a little overbearing but I'm simply amazed at how happy they are!!  I've never seen impatiens this tall!!

Day 14 of the Strada Easel September challenge.

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1077-growth-spurt/928470

1060 Trend Setter

 The sunflower seeds were a gift from a friend in California, and I had no idea what type of sunflowers they would become.  Note to self:  Ask the question.  The spindly little seedlings turned into Mammoth sunflowers, with such enormous stalks that I am not sure how I will remove them from the elevated beds when garden season is over.  Some of the heads are as big as platters, and now hang by their sheer weight.  On this particular plant, the seed pods are misshapen, and I kind of like that they are trying to set a new trend.  "Everyone is beautiful, in their own way."

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1060-trend-setter/922946

To purchase this painting, use this link: 

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1059-faithful-garden-companion/920764

1006. Without a Care in the World

 

Our days are grey, yet mild here in Chicago,  but we are entering the abyss of winter.  I love warm weather and even all the promise of spring and summer when we start to see life emerge in our gardens.  I am happy that I was able to paint this bright happy picture---so full of optimism for the future.  The title explains so many parts of my life---the time when I am painting and certainly, the time when I am gardening, when I am with my family.  

If you follow my journey, you know that I am most comfortable painting what I see.  I don't see any flowers in my garden right now, so this was a long stretch for me.  In today's art world, mark-making seems to be of immense focus, and I have trouble with that, wanting more to express myself with my paint and brush rather than scribbles.  I guess I'll catch on with practice.  

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1006--without-a-care-in-the-world/850850

995 Cosmos: a Garden Odyssey

 

I grew these Cosmos in my rooftop garden.  I think they are a very under-appreciated flower.  Cosmos is the Greek word for harmony, and I believe that these beautiful flowers add harmony to any garden. It is thought that the word Cosmos is also the opposite of the word "chaos," which is how you might describe the beautiful explosion of color these simple flowers bring to the garden.  There are many colors of Cosmos available, but I focused on the white ones for this painting.  I love their simple beauty.

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/995-cosmos-a-garden-odyssey/833161

985 First Pick of the Season

 

I have two eggplant plants in my rooftop garden, one of them is this variety and the other is a Japanese elongated eggplant.  This is the first pick of this variety.  My two favorite eggplant dishes are Baba Ghannough, a Lebanese dip made with garlic, eggplant and tahini, and Eggplant Parmesan, which my mother-in-law taught me to make.  This one and those that come after are destined for Eggplant Parm. and my mouth is watering just thinking of it.

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/985-first-pick-of-the-season/822377

980 Up On The Roof

Without her knowing it, my daughter shamed me into painting outdoors today.  "It would be a great plein air painting day, Mom.  What's stopping you?" to which I replied with a number of excuses.  I have a new easel and I'm just not ready to paint in the city since I'm  (enter any one of many excuses here).  So I decided to paint on the roof to ease on into it.  My little flower garden on the roof is in full bloom and it wasn't too hot up there today.  There was a nice breeze and only once did my canvas blow off before I bungie corded it down.

My Art Ladies group went on several painting trips to beautiful places--New Mexico, California, Door County, Hilton Head----all were wonderful experiences.  That was many years ago.  Plein air painting is "NOT for sissies" as someone in our group described it, loads of fun but really hard work.  

I will promise myself to scope out places I am comfortable with to paint.  I have my eye on a charming little yellow house with a nice garden and a white picket fence not too far from my home.  There is an active group of Plein Air Painters Chicago, so someday maybe I will join them one day.  I did signed up to paint at the Chicago Botanical Gardens in late August, so I better get busy preparing so as not to embarrass myself.  

Red and White Hollyhocks

This summer has been one of experimentation with new media and techniques.  This painting is an oil painting, and it took so many tries and several months to get it to where I am happy and proud to post.  I have been considering that it may be time to give up the struggle with oil paints, but then I went to an art fair today.  I visited with a man whose portraits I admire, in fact I approached him several months ago to inquire if he gives classes (he does not).  So I introduced myself to him and we conversed.   He gave me some good tips.  He was mortified that I normally paint with acrylics.  He also hated the idea of me painting with water soluble oils.  After several minutes of conversation, he had a sale.  We agreed to be (Facebook) friends.   I guess I'll keep thinking on this.

"Red and White Hollyhocks"
oil - 24x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/red-and-white-hollyhocks/511533

dianecampion.blogspot.com

804 Summer, Finally!

I really enjoyed painting this after a rocky start.  It's been a few months since I painted with the oil paints and a subject so unprecise.  I was inspired to paint by so many beautiful works of art that were part of the Cedarburg Cultural Center's Plein Air show.  I did not participate in the plein air painting (next year!), but enjoyed helping to hang the paintings with artist Chuck Eaton.  I couldn't wait to get home to paint! 

"804 Summer, Finally!"
oil - 9x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/804-summer-finally!/485221

765 Cottage Charm

I remember hollyhocks from my childhood growing up in Detroit.  Tall stocks of hollyhocks lined the alley behind our house, and I remember being afraid of all the bees that swarmed the beautiful flowers.  Now I think of them mostly as an old fashioned cottage flower, as many Door County gardens feature them in their gardens.  I wish I had a sunny spot for them in my yard, but I can always visit my neighbor's hollyhock garden just down the street.

"765 Cottage Charm"
oil - 24x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/765-cottage-charm/440713
dianecampion.blogspot.com

659 Old Fashioned

More of Vicki's beautiful hollyhocks.  They are all beautiful!

"659 Old Fashioned"
acrylic - 8x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/659-old-fashioned/399197

657 Reminiscence

My neighbor, Vicki is a fabulous gardener and I just realized today that she has hollyhocks growing in her garden!  Hollyhocks remind me of my childhood as we had them growing so tall in the alley behind our house when I was growing up.  I remember the bees especially liked their nectar.  Their beauty has stood the test of time.

Side note:  I painted this entire painting upside down.  Don't ask me how that happened, I don't even know, but it did.  I just know that I signed it and something felt wrong....could be that the pollen defied gravity. 

"657 Reminiscence"
acrylic - 8x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/657-reminiscence/398743

653 Public Enemy Number One

Okay, maybe the title is just a little dramatic, but mention rabbits to my gardening friends and they turn crazed.  My bachelor's buttons and liatrus didn't have a chance and my swiss chard and marigolds are chewed to stubs. 

"653 Public Enemy Number One"
acrylic - 6x8 in
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/653-public-enemy-number-one/397881

653 Frilly Lily

I saw this lily in Chicago, not your standard day lily, as it has more petal layers. 

"653 Frilly Lily"
acrylic - 7x5 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/653-frilly-lily/397450

652 Karen's Lilies

My neighbors across the street have a beautiful rain garden.  Something is always blooming, except in Winter, of course.  Karen loves the color orange, and so do I. 

"652 Karen's Lilies"
acrylic - 7x5 in
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/652-karens-lilies/397185

651 Around the Block

"651 Around the Block"
acrylic - 7x5 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/651-around-the-block/396927

610 Happy Little Signs of Spring

Many thanks to Kari Snick for allowing me to use her photograph of this happy little vignette.  I notice that one of the eggs has a crack in it, so I wonder if the eggs have hatched.

In Owl Patrol news, this afternoon I heard loud squawking coming from the tree where the owls were last seen.  Out my kitchen window, I sawe lots of wing-flapping during this raid.  It made me so sad to see two nasty crows diving on the owls so  I went outside and CAW CAWed at them a few times, hoping to shoo them away.  One left and the other followed a few seconds later.   I was relieved. 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/610-happy-little-signs-of-spring/374236