Full of Life
My garden is full of life this month! Butterflies, bees, hawkmoths, and hummingbirds are coming daily to feast on July’s main attractions: coneflowers and beebalm. I’ve seen swallowtails and skippers, fritillaries and whites. What a grand display! Mind you, my garden is not perfect. There are gaps here and overcrowding there, some plants didn’t come back this spring and others are looking meager. But it is enough for me to pick out a bouquet or a painting, or to simply enjoy the show.
Tips and Techniques- I always find that adding wildlife to my flower sketches enlivens them in exciting ways. Whether a butterfly or a bee, a snail or a bird, adding even one creature begins to hint at the dynamic relationships between plants and animals. Try it with your next flower painting and see if you agree.
Drawn In 
I enjoy your posts so much! Your use of color appeals to me because I prefer bright to muted! Thanks for being a bright spot in my days. JUDY Hovde Minot, ND …><||||(•>
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Thank you Judy! How sweet of you to write. I appreciate it.
Love it! The addition of the butterfly, layout and unique lettering really make it into a lovely journal page. Great tips on putting it all together!
Thanks Peri!
Having worked in the horticultural industry for years I can tell you Jean there is a big gap between the fantasy and reality of garden esthetics. Media presentation distorts the reality so dramatically. On site grooming involves digging in extra plantings to fill in gaps and add floral display, down to using green floral spray to cover normal leaf decay patterns. I always dreaded see the customers approaching with their glossy paged magazines who would declare they wanted ‘THIS’. Your garden is a perfect picture of reality and this is what you should take joy in with no apologies. After all look at the beautiful art it inspires you to. It is a wonderous place just from that point alone.
Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s so true, though– we see these beautiful pictures in magazines and seed catalogs, but the reality is less pristine. No less interesting, in my opinion, and far more true. I always like some imperfection in my journal sketches and I enjoy including flowers at all stages of growth and decay. My garden is only three years old, so it’s really just getting established. It needs more time for the plants to spread and really come into their own. Still, this year has been great and I’m already thinking of ways to expand.
Having worked in the horticultural industry for years I can tell you Jean there is a big gap between the fantasy and reality of garden esthetics. Media presentation distorts the reality so dramatically. On site grooming involves digging in extra plantings to fill in gaps and add floral display, down to using green floral spray to cover normal leaf decay patterns. I always dreaded see the customers approaching with their glossy paged magazines who would declare they wanted ‘THIS’. Your garden is a perfect picture of reality and this is what you should take joy in with no apologies. After all look at the beautiful art it inspires you to. It is a wonderous place just from that point alone.
My son, who was very young at that time, was the first to recommend this to me when I was painting some roses. He wanted me to add a ladybug and he even told me how their spots are on the same place on both side of their body. He was interested in bugs not in art, but it was still a very useful suggestion. People often commented on this addition to my watercolours.
What a sweet story– and another good example of children opening our eyes because of what they see and find important.
Just lovely! Isn’t it just like life? Focus on the small things that give great joy!
Absolutely!
Hi Jean. Love your July entry with the flowers and the butterfly! You are right, the butterfly defintely adds zing! I have one question about getting the approprirate height. I saw how you did it in the Summer Sketching class from Winslow using photos. But I know most of your sketching is from life, so how do you manage to get your flowers etc, at the right height? If I sit on the ground, for many plants I am looking up, and if I stand I am looking down. Do you have a secret to being able to draw things straight on? Thank you.
What an astute observation Dory! You are right– I like the eye-level view and prefer to draw things as full size. It isn’t always easy. Mostly I squat down (it’s getting a tad harder on the knees, though); I have a low stool that also works well, or I find some object to sit on to give me the height I need.
Gorgeous! I’ve shared a link via twitter.
Thanks Liz. I was thinking of you in winter when I posted this.
Beautiful! I agree! Adding a creature or critter says there’s a story to tell. I love the colors!
Thanks Erica!
Jean, your artwork is spectacular and always amazes me! Thank you for sharing so generously. Each post is delicious.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a kind note of appreciation. It’s always nice to hear that people are enjoying my posts.
It’s true…and for me, it brings up the issue of wildlife vs. landscape photography. I’ve spent more time with wildlife photographers than I had before as a result of the Elephant seal sitting I was doing earlier this year. I firmly say that I am NOT a wildlife photographer but when I do grab a photo of an animal or bird, it can be really exciting. Oh well! 😉
I understand. Being a wildlife photographer requires a different way of “being” in the field– “field craft”– if you will, and the best at it spend many, many hours getting to know their subjects. It’s a joy to step into that world from time to time, even if it’s not what always draws you in.
Hi Jean,
I absolutely love your work. I just finished watching several of your classes at Winslow Art and hope there will be more. I, too love the Stillman & Birn Beta sketch book. I am most intrigued by your lettering. Where do you get your inspiration for your lettering style. It is gorgeous as are all your journal pages.
Hi Anne- Thanks for your nice note! I’m glad you found the Winslow Art classes helpful. I have one more that I’m doing this summer as part of the Savoring Summer Sketchbook Series. Details and a link on on the WORKSHOPS page. As for lettering…I get inspiration from lots of places. I look at road signs, maps, cursive penmanship from the 1800s, hand-drawn letters, type-writer print, and calligraphy. But a good place to start is with your own handwriting. I often simply embellish my printing and cursive handwriting by varying the stroke weight of each letter and adding serifs. I’ve been at it along time and it does take some practice. Check out this post for more: https://jeanmackayart.com/2015/12/21/hand-lettering/