Garden Party at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

"Crystal Springs" 9x12 watercolor on paper

My plein air group PAPO (Plein Air Painters of the Ozarks)  was invited to the garden party that Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.  They wanted it to be an educational experience for visitors so can learn how artists take in the outdoors.  They even provided the guests watercolor supplies!  CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE BIGGER VERSION

My thumbnail sketches

Something I am training myself to do more often is to draw thumbnail sketches of my composition.  I don't know if I actually enjoy doing it but I seem to sell most pieces that I take time to do it for lol  

drawing 

 Then while keeping an eye on both the subject and my chosen thumbnail composition, I draw.  I have double vision problem so when I feel intimidated by all the details of a landscape, I use modified contour drawing method.

Painting begins

I build up the painting from light to dark which gives me option to change things as as I go and slowly enrich the colors.  Note on the upper part of photo, a guest was painting along with me.  She's a jeweler and we had a nice chat while painting :)

Finished in Bentonville!

 On my way home I saw bicyclists posing in front of this wall for photo so I thought I'd get my shot too :D

Plein Air to Farmer's Market 2015

"Bentonville Farmer's Market" 8x10 oil on canvas

I hosted the first paint out with PAPO (Plein Air Painters of the Ozark) this year.  We had it at Downtown Bentonville.  It was so spring fresh with bright green leaves on the trees and grounds and the tulips in multiple colors all over the square!  

 I decided to capture the monument and fountain which was full of tulips and the courthouse in the background.

Karolyn Ferrell and Erika Nelson photo by Cindy Ho

There are more photos from the event at this link PAPO  At lunch I decided not to join the group for lunch and headed home because I wasn't feeling well and the weather changing to the forecast-ed stormy afternoon.

This is how my painting evolved with final version as farmer's market shown on top of my palette above.

Underpainting of my piece

Erika Nelson's original plein air piece April 8, 2015

But I decided it needed to look like how I most enjoy the square - with the farmer's market going on, on a Saturday morning, with vendors and people and performers around it.  We all had a great day!