Unique Planters

Relax... Create... Inspire...

These words are the heart of Welcome Home Retreat in Weatherford, Texas.

Pretty much every single thing is fabulous there, but the courtyard is especially wonderful. Plenty of shade and enough rocking chairs to go around... Lovely plants growing out of odd containers... And a feeling of complete peacefulness.

The challenge for my Creative Companions group this month was "Unique Planters." The ladies who keep the grounds at Welcome Home Retreat are so creative with... well, with everything. I could literally just take my pick as there are "unique planters" all around.

For my companion piece,
I had to consider both of my favorite places
to be surrounded by pots and planters.

I've actually painted part of this scene before, but it wasn't quite the same. 

It's not always birds who have a snack at the  sweet little bowl-on-a-stump... 

Original Oil Painting on 18"x 18" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

Red Window

 

A little fun with the palette knife!

A little turquoise sneaking in where it doesn't belong!

A little imagination!

That's a pretty good recipe, I think!

Original Palette Knife Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

She Shed

Sometimes I know exactly what I want to paint... have a reference photo that I want to recreate on canvas... have an idea that I want to convey in a painting... know the direction for the creation I'm working on.

And... then... sometimes... just no... the process has a mind of its own.

In the beginning I thought I was going to paint some kind of rock house - nope... maybe there would be vines on the walls - nope... flowers hanging over the door - nope...  possibly a path through the yard - nope... a window and window box on the wall - nope... probably mostly purple - nope.

I want to show the reference photo that drew me in.  It was not at all what I was looking for... But!  Oh, there's a windchime just like the one that hangs from my back porch!  And, a bird feeder just like ours!  And, a bluebird house!  And, two long planters exactly like the two I have!  And, a hummingbird feeder like the four we have! (For my friends who live much farther north than I do, you'll laugh that I wondered what the big flat shovel would be good for.) Then I zoomed in to those fabulous latches and hinges. Even with all that, I didn't intend to use it... until I started.  I didn't intend to make all the changes I did... They just sort of happened. I had several other choices with much more beautiful doors, yet I kept coming back to this one.  It's the one that drew me in... the one that had a story... the one that made my mind wander... and wonder...

Thanks to Sara  (my good good friend who lives 1,700 miles away and I've never met in person) for having what I need when I text looking for a just-right reference photo.

My Weekly-ish Art Challenge was "Doors & Windows."  I hope my image tells a story... makes your mind wander and wonder...

Original Oil Painting on 11"x 14" Wrapped Canvas
Click She Shed if you'd like to purchase this painting.