~More Hand-crafted Cards~

I enjoy sending handmade cards.  I paint them, use scrapbooking supplies to make them; I've made collage cards and cards using photographs or photos of my artwork. 

I began making handpainted cards when I started painting in watercolor.  My Mother has kept all of the ones I have given her.  My Dad has a collection of "golf-themed" cards that I've sent on Father's Day and birthdays.

This Tiffany-look card, I thought, was a great idea.  I didn't realize that pre-planning was neccessary to pull it off; I just dove in.  So, what I thought would take 2 hours turned into a challenging 1/2 day project.

The idea was inspired by a visit to the Tiffany Exhibition at the Morse Museum in Winter Park, Florida. I was pleased with the finished card and did try a second one.  It is not worthy of a blog entry.

For each of the past 3 years, I have made about 2 dozen Christmas cards to send to family and friends.  I collect the decorative papers and "add-ons" all year; then when the day comes that I get the urge, I spread out all the supplies and dive in, praying for inspiration.  Each one is different and there's never a plan.

The next  is pen and watercolor~an Easter card for my Mom.  The daffodils were from my garden.

This is one of the "collage" cards.  It is watercolor with rice paper used for texture.  The tentacles of this "Portuguese Man -o- War" are strands of metallic blue thread.  The summer that I created this card was the first time I had ever seen this deadly jellyfish on our beach.  They are so distinct with the red tipped "float".

This card is one of several "golf-themed" cards that I have made for my father.
The scene is one of the holes on "Amen Corner" at Augusta National~The Masters.

 Another Christmas card~one of my favorites; very loosely painted with a lot of spattering.

Sometimes, to compliment the card, I would also paint a small scene in the return address area on the envelope.

Handmade cards are a special gift for the recipient~at least, I'd like to think so.

~Flowers, I love flowers~

I love nature.  I love flowers.  It seems that when you start taking art classes flowers are a favorite subject.  When I took my first watercolor classes the subject was Daisies.

I look at this and am still amazed that it was one of my first paintings.  The lesson: learning to layer washes of color or "glazing" and preserving whites.

Then I moved on to Poppies.



I took dozens of photos of the Oriental Poppies in my garden; then using the glazing techniques taught by Arleta Pech tackled this painting.  I loved the finished product.  I entered it into an art show; the entry criteria included that the painting be available for sale.  I didn't want to sell it, so I put a ridiculous price on it.  Someone didn't think the price was ridiculous.  I am so glad that I had photographed the painting before entering it into the show.  (Now I hold on to paintings until I'm ready to give them up.)

Then came Irises.
I have always loved the gracefulness of irises.  Again, I took dozens of photos in my garden and at the Denver Botanic Gardens.  My sketchbook is filled with " Iris studies".  I wanted to really understand the structure of this unusual and beautiful flower.

"Purple Irises" won a third prize in an art show.

When I left Colorado and settled in Florida, I discovered tropical flowers.  The colorful flowers and shrubs bloom profusely.  Hibiscus, Bird of Paradise, Bougainvillea and Orchids.  I became very fond of orchids!  We also had the most interesting cactus in our backyard~a Night-blooming Cereus.  The cactus blooms once a year and the blooms last one day and they only bloom at night.

I took this picture early in the morning;
the flowers are already starting to close.
They are as big as plates!

My painting "Night Blooming Cactus".

I then tried Hibiscus.  We had several varieties in our yard and the neighbors had even more=more photos!!

These next 3 are small watercolor "studies"; same flower, different colors.



 

Bougainvillea.
"Eze" was done from a photograph that a friend took while on vacation in the south of France.  I liked the warm colors and the bright fuchsia bougainvillea.  Preserving the little hints of white are what makes this painting work.

 Orchids.
It's no secret that I love orchids, but they have been the most challenging to paint.   The first one is a collage using rice paper for the textured background and irridescent paint on the flower petals.

Mixed media Orchid

This variety of orchids are Paphopedilum (paphs or "slipper orchids").

"Paphs"

"White Phaleanopsis"

This is my favorite orchid painting. The photo that I used for reference was taken at the Miami International Orchid Show.

"Orchid Duo"



I have many Peony sketches in my sketchbook but Peonies don't grow in Florida~maybe I will have to go back to the Denver Botanic Gardens. 

They have the most beautiful peony garden!