Big Leaf Magnolia

This beautiful magnolia has grown up outside our back porch since we moved here in 1996. I have painted it at various times, usually the flower, but the tree itself is beautiful, curvy. A real southern princess, the leaves reach up to 24 inches long and the bloom is dinner plate size with a red round seed pod the size of a mackintosh apple. This autumn while waiting for Amy and Dinesh to come in Nov we had the house painted and I painted with them. This is one painting the other painting is of the side yard looking toward the Leita Thomson Trail. this is a small 10 x 8 painting as it is a plein air. The tree was dramatically backed by the sourwood (?) which turns a beautiful red, pink and burgundy colors. This is one of my favorite paintings.

Gradation

This is a 22 x 15 Watercolor painted just last week in a Tony Couch watercolor class at the Kudzu Art Zone in Norcross. Amy and Dinesh were in so I couldn't attend all days. I wanted to spend time with them. I had taken this picture in Monet's garden in Giverny and knew I wanted to paint it, was unsure of the value pattern because I had never done a "gradation" before. I loved painting this picture and I got the gradation down and invented a symbol for rain drops. Had a lot of fun doing them. Mary recognized the aspect right away. I sold this painting and am loving where it is going.