My Favorite Bottles in a Row Spring 2020

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The spring is so beautiful in Madrid.  I’m glad I was able to make a few paintings before the quarantine.  I haven’t gone outside to look at the flowers since March 8th.  

My Favorite Bottles in a Row 2020

My Favorite Bottles in a Row 2020

Talavera Vase with Almond Blossoms

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Talavera Vase with Almond Blossoms 2020

The days are still quite short here in Madrid. Almond blossoms are one of my favorites. Yesterday we got a a hard wind so maybe they have all been blown off the trees. Almond blossoms aren’t on the trees for long. Here’s a short clip of the painting at the Plaza de los Pintores. Click to see.

Blue Bottles with a Red Bottle

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These colorful flowers tell me that the cold winter here in Madrid is getting ready to leave and the warm weather is coming soon.  I run out and cut the flowers and paint them as fast as possible before they wilt.

Blue Bottles with a Red Bottle 2020

The first signs of spring in my neighborhood

This painting is a resin-oil painting.

I mix the dry pigments with essential oils and paint with a pallet knife and brushes.  The gloss is in the paint not on the surface.

Here is a little Painting Setup clip of some of the process.  You can see this new painting at  Plaza de los Pintores on Sunday from 10-2.  We are located at Plaza Conde de Barajas in Madrid, Spain.  Hope to see you there.

 

 

A Watercolor of the Fallen Angel Fountain in the autumn. The watercolor is on an easel and the fountain is in the background

Fuente del Àngel Caìdo November 2019

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This autumn watercolor painting is of the Fallen Angel Fountain in the Retiro Park located in Madrid, Spain.   In this September painting the  flowers that surround the fountain are bright red geraniums.

Watercolor of the Fallen Angel Fountain. There are red flowers around the fountain

Fuente del Angel Caìdo September 2019

I no longer have this September watercolor with the red geraniums so I went back to the Retiro last weekend to paint it again.   To my surprise the flowers had been pulled up and replaced with red, yellow, white and purple pansies…quite a change from the bold red color.

 

Watercolor of the Fallen Angel Fountain in the Retiro Park in Madrid Spain. The sky is blue with a few clouds and the leaves are turning a golden orcher color

Fuente del Angel Caido November 2019

This watercolor is from a collection of watercolors of the fountains in the Retiro Park.  The Fallen Angel Fountain is pretty interesting when you look into its history.  It’s one of a kind.   

Fuente del Àngel Caìdo September 2019

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If you come to Madrid, don’t miss out on seeing this impressive fountain.

This is the Fallen Angel Fountain.  If you’ve ever read John Milton’s epic ‘Paradise Lost’  The first page comes to life when you see this awesome statue. 

Watercolor of the Fallen Angel Fountain. There are red flowers around the fountain

Fuente del Angel Caìdo September 2019

I’ve painted parts of this fountain a few times, but this is the first time I painted the whole fountain.

 

La Plaza del Màrmol

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A pen and ink with watercolor wash of a double dish fountain in a loose style.
Fuente en la Plaza del Mármol 2019

This little square in the Retiro Park is called Plaza del Màrmol.  There is a limestone fountain in the middle of the square.  Four young Tritons sustain the main dish.  At one time this fountain was completely hidden by overgrown bushes.  Since then the bushes have been cut and the little plaza is in plain sight.

The day I went there to paint the little square, the gardeners had just finished pulling all the flowers to replace them with new flowers.  I will have to go back soon to paint the fountain with flowers around the pond.

 

A watercolor of poppies and daisies with little purple or violet flowers in a pickle jar.

Poppies and Daisies in Pickle Jar 2019

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In the spring I like to paint the wild flowers since they are so colorful and my favorite painting theme.

A picture of a watercolor in process. You can see a light grid, pencil drawing and red watercolor paint of poppies.

I started off with a grid and a light drawing, then I started putting in the poppies.

Since I’m painting from life, I put in the poppies first before they wilt.

A watercolor of red poppies, daisies and a glass jar in the process of making.

The next step I take is painting all over the paper since all the shapes and colors influence each other.

Then I start putting in other flowers, not forgetting about the equally important background which includes the glass pickle jar.

A picture of a watercolor almost finished. You can see red poppies, white daisies with a touch of purple or violet flowers in a glass pickle jar.

Here I am almost finished. Just putting in the finishing touches. Not too many.

The watercolor is almost finished here.  I paint what I see and leave a lot of the white of the paper.

A watercolor of poppies and daisies with little purple or violet flowers in a pickle jar.
Here it is finished. Poppies and Daisies in Pickle Jar 2019 Watercolor on Arches 300gsm 19×28 cm – 7.5×11 in

This year the wild flower season was brief.  Less rain, less flowers…