Direct Watercolor #2 & #3

 The 30 x 30 Watercolor Challenge is keeping me busy. I like painting directly with watercolor but some subjects are quite a challenge, especially if I have to be careful with the perspective. Here is my 2nd painting for the challenge. It helps if a bit of the architecture is hidden behind a tree like in this painting. I love this spot with the house up high from the street along Bellport Lane. I've painted it a few times.

For painting #3 I headed over to Meadowcroft Estate in Sayville. Small purple irises were growing in the garden there.

Meadow Croft

 I haven't been over to Meadowcroft in Sayville to sketch in a while, so it was fun to find a view to sketch. I've always liked the barn there.

Meadow croft and Preserved Foods

Here are my last two paintings for the military project. Next I need to put information on the backs and mail them off to my friend in Chicago who is organizing the project. 

This painting was looking out the driveway of Meadowcroft Estate, a historic property and building in Sayville. 

Last night my sketch group had a theme of "Preserved Foods." Anything in jars, bottles or packages was fair game.

Meadowcroft Garden

Last Sunday my friend and I went to paint at Meadowcroft Estate in Sayville.

We ended up in the garden but I had to use a bit of artistic license to complete this because most of the plants had just been planted and hadn't filled in yet. This is 5 x 7.

Meadowcroft Estate Painitngs

Tonight the Patchogue Sketch Club met at Meadowcroft Estate in Sayville at 6:30. With the sun setting earlier and earlier we have to work fast before it gets too dark.

First I painted in the garden. I liked the contrast of the stone birdbath and the flowers.

This is about 4 x 6 in my Stillman & Birn Alpha Sketchbook. 

The other artists were still working so I went over by the vegetable garden and did a quick watercolor sketch just with paint. I really abused the paper in this one with a lot of water and paint...but the paper took it well...no pilling, no buckling.