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This was the afternoon painting today at the Overland Park Arboretum. I had done the rose trellis painting in the morning and ,after lunch, decided I had time for one more. I have often tried to paint the Alliums but this view looking back across the pond was stunning. I loved how the value changes were all I could see which kept me from getting to picky and kept it loose. I also loved how the flowers surrounding it shone against the purple hues of the allium. This painting flowed easily and was a delightful end to a perfect plein aire outing.

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day to paint at the Overland Park Arboretum. We got there in the morning and painted till around two. We took a lunch break and I decided that this one was finished. The climbing roses on this trellis were just starting to take off and bloom. We were engrossed in our painting when we heard a commotion behind us. Much to our surprise, the rabbit we had been watching earlier was busy attacking a black snake who was intent on raiding her nest. The snake was swiftly trying to leave the area with the rabbit in hot pursuit biting the snake repeatedly. We waited for awhile to see who had won the battle. Soon the rabbit returned but not the snake. She spent the next few hours relocating her babies. Plein aire is always interesting and surprising.

This was paintef at the Quick Paint during the opening night of the Stems Plein Aire Event at the Overland Park Arboretum . These roses were the most unique color and just begged to be painted. They also had the most delightful smell which wafted thru the air while I painted. These lovely experiences are why I love to paint en Plein Aire!

I painted in my garden today. I have lots of flowers in various phsaes of their lives. My iris are blooming beautifully this year and my peonies (which came from a transplant from my grandma ‘s garden) are outdoing themselves this year. I am getting tuned up for the Stems Plein Aire event at the Overland Park Arboretum which is from May 18 thru May 30. Then the paintings will be judged and some will be chosen for the exhibition and sale at the at the Tomahawk Community Center. Come on watch all the artists and their visions during the event.

My sister's wisteria finally bloomed agter ten years of growth and wow, was it spectacular! The scent was absolutely intoxicating and the bumblebees were in heaven. One of them was like a little hovercraft until we came to an agreement on shared space. It was such a delightful day. I started around 11am and finished up around 2pm. All in all a great plein aire day in a garden, what more could you want. I will be painting at the Overland Park Arboretum starting May 19, so come out and share some time with me while I paint their beautiful garden.

I am so lucky to have wonderful neighbors who invite me into their gardens to paint. These beauties were just spilling over everywhere and begging to be immortalized in paint. My own lilacs were blooming too but not in the amazing color of this bush. So blessed to live where we do and have wonderful gardens that neighbors are willing to share.

I found these tulips at a beautiful private garden in Augusta, Missouri during the Augusta PleinAireFestival. The owners had two delightful granddaughters and a precocious grandson. Hannah the youngest of the girls shared her artwork she had done in school that day and it was delightful! The one she had done all by herself was the best. She was so creative in her use of color and freedom of creativity. She and her sister stayed and kept me company while I painted in the beautiful garden of their grandmother until they had to go to dance class. She asked wonderful questions and I really enjoyed my time with her. So in honor a budding artist , I called this painting "Hannah's Tulips" . The interaction with people is one of the reasons I love painting in plein aire. I stopped by on the way home to put the finishing touches on this painting but didn't see Hannah before I left. Hope to see her again next year!