Chrysanthemum Season

It's always fun and enjoyable to paint at Descanso Gardens in La Canada-Flintridge.  I visited in the spring and posted that piece in Spring at Descanso.  On my most recent paint-out day, it was Chrysanthemum time there.  Many pots of beautiful Chrysanthemums were set out along the walkways.  I had in mind to see what I could find to paint in the Japanese Tea House area.  At the entrance to the koi pond there were some very pretty pots of Chrysanthemums on both sides of the gate.  The flowers were white and yellow against dark foliage so I decided to try a gouache piece.  Descanso Gardens has many tall, old oak trees and also tall Camellias so many walkways have dappled light.  I took a couple work-in-progress photos again to share.  And also some Spider Mum photos!

5 x 7" Gouache

First colors and values blocked in.

More darks and lights, warm and cool colors.

  

A Japanese Garden

It's been two months since one of the paint-out groups visited the historic Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden in Pasadena.  We were all very anxious to visit this historic garden that we've heard so much about but hadn't visited.  The garden was part of a private estate and hidden for decades.  It's been historically renovated and is now open only for private parties.  It's located behind walls and fences, and seemed to be almost just a rumor with artist friends.  We were amazed when we got a first glimpse past the entry gates.  The beautiful garden features two connected ponds, bridges, and an authentic teahouse.  

Since we visited the garden to paint,  I've been retouching my watercolor and going back to it to look again.  During our brief discussion of the paintings, the group generally thought the water we had painted seemed to look more like a lawn since it was green and murky.  In trying to make my watercolor look more like a pond than a lawn, I've added some blue sky reflections and some bright spots to highlight the crane sculpture I wanted to feature.  It was such a lovely morning of painting at the garden and the owners were very generous to allow our visit.  Hoping to visit again!

8 x 10" Watercolor

Authentic twelve tatami mat teahouse

The Nursery!

I love to take snapshots at nurseries but didn't have painting opportunities at any until last Saturday.  Bellefontaine Nursery in Pasadena was on the list of our paint-out locations and I was looking forward to it.  We almost didn't get permission to paint there but happily we were finally OKed.  The nursery is owned by a Japanese family and has been open since 1939.  The main building is an old, wood frame style that you just don't see here much any more.  Wonderful that it's still standing for us to enjoy.  The nursery has so many alcoves of plant varieties, lath structures, and pots that I spent too long walking around investigating and had to quickly chose a view to start painting.      

I've always loved the look of lath houses.  Lots of interesting shapes and all those patterns of light and shadow catch my eye.  I chose a spot to paint with a view into one of the lath houses that was roped off.  My painting (approx. 8"x10") and view, and also a photo of the modest set-up I'm using right now.  I hand-hold a watercolor block.  I was waiting for my first wash to dry when I took this shot.  There's also a photo below of a little friend I saw while investigating.

  

The Gamble House

On Thursday we met at the Gamble House in Pasadena for our plein air paint-out.  The Gamble House is magnificent and is a National Historic Landmark.  The house and its furnishings were designed by Charles and Henry Greene, and it's considered to be America's Arts and Crafts masterpiece.  It was built in 1908 as a home for David and Mary Gamble of the Proctor & Gamble Co.  Fortunately it is open for public tours!  

It was a bright day and not too hot yet.  Looking at the house as a subject to paint, well, it is complicated.  The house shows Asian aesthetic influences with its use of natural materials and design.  There are exterior porches with gorgeous beams which echo Japanese cloud shapes.  Lots of light and shadows are created by many rafters and eaves.  I had to try to simplify.  I found some shade under a tree across the lawn at the rear.  The stained wood exterior makes a very neutral-toned subject all shaded by dramatic roof lines.  A difficult but relaxing challenge.  Here is my painting and some photos of the house, as well as the artists.    

Descanso Gardens

While noticing I had a few paintings for my last post, "Chinese Themes", I also noticed a few with Japanese themes.  Two of these are subjects from Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge, CA.  It's a gorgeous public garden, or rather a collection of gardens.  There is a Camellia Collection, Japanese Garden and tea house, Rose Garden, as well as woodlands, fountains and ponds.  Lots of squirrels, ducks, turtles, frogs, and I saw a family of Canada Geese on my last visit...photo below.

The first small painting of a Japanese stone lantern was done for the online watercolor class instructed by Vinita Pappas in 2011.  The lesson was about mixing neutral colors and I thought the gray stone would be good to try.  I always take a photo of this lantern sitting in the dappled shade in a big patch of mondo grass.

This piece was also painted  for Vinita's online class.  She put together a video for Earth Day of paintings that we submitted.  I painted my piece from a photo I took while walking through the shaded woodland area.  I always like greens and purples together it seems.
The video is available to see on YouTube  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=357jY5vt1z0

The next painting was done when the plein air group went to Descanso in May.  This is the tea house.  There is a relaxing koi pond surrounded by Japanese maples and huge oaks.  It was very peaceful painting on a Thursday morning until bus-loads of pre-schoolers arrived.  I had fun answering their questions which were pretty cute.

I always like to take a photo of our big friendly plein air group.  This view shows most of the painters that day.  Brenda Swenson is talking about the watercolors.

It's the Canada Goose family crossing a bridge over one of the steams!  I heard about them from people all morning and was so happy to see them coming my way.  Painters, tourists, birders, and pre-schoolers didn't seem to bother them at all.