"Cobalt Hydrangea Interior" by Ann McCann 9 X 12 Oil on archival panel (c) 2017
This a hydrangea bouquet that I painted from our trip to Cape Cod in 2016. I keep changing it a bit, but I am pretty sure that I am done now. I liked the juxtaposition of the cobalt blue flowers against the turquoise sky.
The house that we rent in Cape Cod always has a bouquet of blue hydrangeas when we arrive. I snap photos, do water color sketches and then paint them when I get home. Here is the 2017 bouquet.
A customer in San Antonio purchased this online. Thank you! I guess I need to paint more hydrangeas! I have found that there is no blue color that matches what is found in nature. So, I use multiple colors to approximate the overall effect.
"Harbor Sailing" by Ann McCann (c) 2017 10 X 10 oil on gallery wrap canvas
I still have all these images of the Cape in my head, and I need to paint them before they go away. I saw this image on a bright and sunny day in the Truro harbor. I wanted to capture the reflection of the sail and the people in the boat. The open sea is at the horizon.
"Blackcreek Marsh" by Ann McCann 5.5 X 5.5" Watercolor (c) 2017
This is a wonderful marsh with a bright blue creek running through it that can only be photographed standing on top of a fence on a highway with many cars rushing by. Quite a challenge! I try to paint it every year when we visit Cape Cod. You are looking out towards Cape Cod Harbor here.
We just got back from a week in Wellfleet, Cape Cod, MA. The hydrangeas were beautiful and everywhere. We even had a bouquet waiting for us in our rental house. Above you see the bouquet and then the watercolor I painted in my sketchbook. More hydrangeas to come......
"Hibiscus Fireworks" by Ann McCann 8 X 8 Oil on Linen Panel (c) 2017
This was purchased by my sister's dear childhood friend. I love that I can share my paintings with old friends who have moved far away. Looks like I will have to paint another 8X8 for the Biblical Arts Auction this fall!
Here are some "fireworks" for your Fourth of July, two mini hibiscus in red and orange on blue. They were a present from my hairdresser's garden. I get to take them home after I get my hair done! I may donate this to the Biblical Arts Museum 8 X 8 Art Auction unless someone has to have it.
"Field of Bluebonnets" by Ann McCann 16 X 20 Oil on canvas (c) 2017
Spring in Texas is about wildflowers, especially bluebonnets. Lady Bird Johnson is responsible for the planting of wildflowers along all our highways and that spring bloom makes driving a delight. In the Texas Hill Country there are field after field of bluebonnets. In small plantings, the scent of bluebonnets is not noticeable. However, the smell of the large fields is quite heavenly. Families plop their children down in the fields and take their holiday card photos. We have a photo of our daughter and my husband in one such field that we treasure.
"Salado Swimmin Hole" by Ann McCann 9 X 12 Oil (c)2017
I posted the watercolor of this scene two weeks ago after our trip to Salado, Texas. I had to do an oil painting of it. This is where the town comes to cool off on hot days which we have many of here in Texas. It is more of a wading experience unless you sit down in it. It is a very pretty spot!
My Pear Trees by Ann McCann 18 X 24 oil (c)2017
When you paint with oils, you sometimes have wonderful "accidents." In painting my favorite pear trees, I first applied a purple transparent layer (glaze) in some areas. It smeared around a bit and started to spread. I liked how it looked so I continued applying transparent layers of different purples hues over the whole tree area. Then I applied the various whites and pastels, pink and yellow, on top of it. Voila! My best "white" painting ever. It is usually hard to make an interesting white painting, but this somewhat painted itself.
"Favorite Chair by the River" by Ann McCann 9 X 12 Oil (c) 2017
When you have been somewhere that was especially lovely or had a really good time there, it shows in your painting. That is certainly true when you paint plein air on site, but that is also true when painting from a photo that you took there. You remember all the things that can't be captured in a photo- light, colors, etc. The fact that you felt good there affects the painting too. I can't explain it, but it is all true.
We spent Memorial weekend with friends at an inn on this river in Salado and spent a lot of time in these chairs. Mat and Kathy, this is for you!
Gothic Sky (Sevilla) by Ann McCann 9 X 12 oil on linen panel (c)2017
When you spend several hours or more making a painting, the visual picture stays in your mind forever. It is a visual that is hard to turn off. When you lie in your bed at night, you keep painting it mentally. When we were in Sevilla last May (2016), we spent a lot of time on the roof top of our hotel, breakfast there in the morning, drinks and sunset watching in the evenings. We also had a painting session there where I created the above painting of the skyline. I loved all the Gothic cathedral towers and spiky ironwork. The light was beautiful, so I made the colorful sky. Now I will always remember it.
I am working on my lilies. They are not an easy flower. My mother really liked day lilies and had a large patch that she tended in her garden. Lilies remind me of her.