Archive
Camellias in bud with Viburnum bodnantense – a painting a day
size 5″ x 5″
I have been drawing and not painting and also plotting some work outlines for this year. Honest.
At the weekend I went to an auction which was fun if a bit slower than I was expecting. We were only successful on one lot but it was MY lot so I was quietly pleased having spotted a wire rack which can be used to store fresh prints until they are ready for drying in blotters at the end of the printing session. It will also store the consumables i.e. tissue and newsprint for the job in a compact way. It is the sort of thing that can cost over £100 bought new and if this one has been used it was lightly.
Here is a tiny sketch of a vase in which some camellias from mother’s garden are opening out. I also had permission to cut some of the beautiful pink scented Viburnum bodnantense.
#188 a painting a day by Alison Warner on her lemon a day art blog
Two red camellias – a painting a day
sold 6″ x6″, 15cmx15cm, watercolour on heavy weight rag paper
This is the last of my mother’s camellias; they do not last very long in water.
Today was when I added more things to the new bed, I put in some aconitums which will be tall and purplish blue, I think I will move the delphiniums that are not happy over and I put in an ordinary day lily, it’s an orangey colour. I dug up the white Hedychium a ginger lily, which smell of fresh edible ginger, at least I knew I had dug up the right thing. The red one which came from Wilkinson’s (home of very cheap garden stuff) also had a growing point so may well have survived the winter. I don’t quite understand how it happens but I have tigridias that have survived three years in the soil outdoors, yet I know we have had temperatures down to minus 15 degrees centigrade. May be shelter from wind is key and dryish winters.
The whole bed will be a bit of a Great Dixter homage as it will have the banana plant or rather the Ensete, a foliage banana, which has to come inside over winter. The plasterers got so fond of it they asked where it was when they came back a second time. I will list all the contents of this bed another day and then take a picture later in the year when it starts to riot with annual climbers and all the big foliage things.
I should also go and get some more canna lilies.
Managed to get sun burn on my back today, although I was not out all day.
Alison
#25 a painting a day by Alison Warner on her lemon a day art blog
A leaf which fell from the camellia – a painting a day
6″x5.8″ 15cm x 14.5cm watercolour on heavyweight rag paper
I have a fascination with the leaves which are on their way out or attacked by grubs; they protest in colour. Plants release pigment into their leaves as a reaction to stress or as a precursor to dying. I love the patterns made and the junction between functioning leaf and the part already gone.
I also tried to do some daffodils but they were rubbish, perhaps the composition was a step too far for this small fast painting a day business.
Alison
#11 a painting a day by Alison Warner on her lemon a day art blog
Red camellia – a painting a day
6″x6″ 15cm x 15cm watercolour on heavyweight rag paper
I cut the camellia flowers at my mum’s house, things are further out there, here we are on the edge of a frost pocket. It’s drawn life size; these really are big and in your face red. She sat and did the cross word while I painted and told me that I was going to regret launching a painting a day as it would be too demanding. I got out a tube of red to help me get closer to the red here, the reds in the pans fall one either side of this red.
Geography course work came back finally, son who has no ability with tact said “Why did it take so long to mark?” He was told that there was a reason and that the reason would be given to his mother….she is waiting.
Alison
#7 a painting a day by Alison Warner on her lemon a day art blog
Lemon a day 