Arboretum Summer

One of the plein air painting groups I enjoy going out with holds quarterly planning sessions at the local Arboretum.  We all contribute thoughts and plan the paint-outs for the upcoming months.  Our planning meeting at the start of the summer was in July and our meeting to plan fall paint-outs was last month.  Since these meetings usually take an hour or so, I only have time to paint a small, 5x7" gouache piece before our finishing time when we meet back at the Peacock Cafe to share our work.  

In July when I arrived at the Arboretum a peahen was on the lawn in the parking lot with her three chicks.  They were attracting a lot of photographers and my photo is below.  After our planning session I decided to paint in one of the demonstration garden areas.  They have small patios of ideas for home gardens.  I chose a view of the very pretty raised lily pond.    

When we met for our latest planning meeting in September I was surprised to see a peahen with her adolescent sized chick standing on a table in the cafe patio (below).  Probably not the same family I saw in July but I was happy to see them.  I chose another nearby view in the desert display garden because I could see the pink blooms of a silk floss tree.  These trees have thorns on their trunks and large pink flowers which the hummingbirds loved.  There was also a pink plaster chimney with some tall cacti growing against it to make the scene.  

5 x 7" gouache

5 x 7" gouache