Girls Just Wanna Paint - "Treasured Object"

"Good Fortune"

Photo shopped image 

I've been wearing this gold charm, for many, many years. It's the Chinese symbol for "good fortune" and was a gift from my husband Don, who knows my obsession with all things Oriental. 
This month's topic for the Girls Just Wanna Paint challenge is 'treasured object' and this is one of my most cherished ones. 

I tried painting it, I really did, but it just didn't have the pizzazz it needed. In desperation I played with it in PhotoShop where it couldn't help but gain some dramatic effects. Placing it upon a patterned fabric swatch creates a great design and I like the way the four images meet. 

Meanwhile, I'm still going out to the 'jungle' to paint twice a week and have a plethora of studies of lily pads, palm trees and green stuff !

Gators are not pets ;)

the Great Egret

Painting en Plein Aire

Studies @ Freedom Park

I have been going out to paint at a little oasis called Freedom Park. Water, palm trees, beautiful birds, gators, turtles, lily pads (my new obsession) and dragonflies, which represent the spirit of my mama, who, much to my delight, is always with me. 
It find it easier to divide my canvas into quarters and do studies instead of overwhelming myself with trying to get a finished painting of this very complicated scene. 
My favorite of this series is the closeup of the lily pads. I see so many possibilities with this subject

The Oasis

Painting "en Plein aire", sounds so chic but, it requires organizing and downsizing equipment for the lightest and least burdensome trip to the site. This has never been my strong suit but I'm working on it.

a visitor, oh wait, I'm the visitor :D

Great Egret