Garden in my heART (& critters, too!)

These 4 paintings were made while enjoying pure play with art supplies.  The backgrounds were made first and without any thought or plan for what they would become (aside from 4 canvases being grouped together like 1 big project).  The first layer was created outside on beautiful day. 🙂

For the second layer, I had fun just painting playfully while adding colors that I love along with the flowers using stencils.  Then, I played the ‘cloud game’.  I looked to see what I could find within it. I also asked my 10 year old twin boys to do the same and shared it on instagram and asked others to play along.  It was such fun to play!  What do you see?

Then, I outlined the shapes (all some kind of animal) that my boys and I had seen and went from there.  I’ve debated whether or not to add more detail to the critters, but each time I sit down to try, something inside resists because I love it the way it is.  So, I’ve listened to that little voice and let it be (at least for now!).

    

It’s that time of year that you’d be more likely to find me in the garden than playing with paint.  All of these animals tend to show up in our yard or garden some way.  We adore our kitty, Koiya.  I’ve witnessed a turtle eating the wild blackberries.  We’ve enjoyed lots of colorful birds.  I think of my mom every time a dragonfly visits due to the poem I read at her memorial, and thankfully, we see lots of them.  We have plenty of frogs in a pond down below our house that we hear as we go to sleep with the windows open to enjoy the fresh mountain air and at least 1 frog that lives in our little zen pond by the front porch.  We have free range chickens that roam around during the day.  And, yes, there is even a little elephant in our garden on occasion!  Because my hands are often in the dirt and I wear a little elephant thumb ring. 😉

I’ve just listed this original mini-series (4 separate 8×8 canvases), Garden in my heART, in the Loving Rd etsy shop. I’ve also added them to the Loving Rd redbubble shop to make them available on pillows and tote bags.  My cousin’s daughter LOVES turtles and has a birthday coming up later this month so the turtle one is dedicated to her.  I think I’ll send her a turtle tote bag for her birthday. 🙂

Though I love them all, I admit to having a favorite.  What about you?

Most of all, I hope love blooms in your garden, too. 🙂 ❤