Tag: Water lily

Categories
Flower Art Ink and watercolor wash Plein Air Sketchbook Pages Walnut Creek

Lilly Pond at Ruth Bancroft Gardens

 

Water Lilies at Bancroft Gardens, sepia ink and watercolor, 5x8 in
Water Lilies at Bancroft Gardens, sepia ink and watercolor, 5×8 in

It was a gorgeous day at Ruth Bancroft Gardens in Walnut Creek when my plein air group visited. I walked around looking at all the beautiful plants, sculpture exhibit (and buildings in the private area we were given access to, where the 105 year-old Mrs. Bancroft still lives). With less than an hour before our session end I finally settled on sketching at the lily pond.

I painted the old barn the last time I was there and that barn sketch is one of my favorites ever.

Here is my sketch with the scene behind it and artist Catherine Fasciato painting a lily with oil paint. I sat right between her and the sculpture, choosing shade first and subject matter second on this very hot, sunny day.

Water Lillies and their sketch at Bancroft Gardens, ink and watercolor, 5×8 in
Catherine painting in Bancroft Gardens
Categories
Flower Art Ink and watercolor wash Landscape Outdoors/Landscape Painting Places Plants Sketchbook Pages

Water Lilies Part II: In Sun and Shade at the Cemetery

Lily in the Sun, ink & watercolor, 5x5"
Lily in the Sun, ink & watercolor, 5x5"

When I was sketching the lily pond at the cemetery the only camera I had with me was my iPhone. I took a few photos even though I didn’t expect them to come out well (which they didn’t since I was too far away). But I was able to get enough information from them to do two more little studies when I got home of the lilies in sun (above) and in shade (below).

Lily in the Shade, ink & watercolor, 5x5"
Lily in the Shade, ink & watercolor, 5x5"

Sunday, just one week later, I returned to the cemetery with my good camera, looking forward to taking some good photos from which to paint and continue my water lily investigation. Sadly our recent warm weather had dried up half of the pond. I couldn’t get a single good photo and was uninspired to sketch the tangles that remained.

I’m surprised the cemetery owners don’t replenish the water in the pond. Although we’re supposed to conserve water, I know they water the lawns or they’d all be brown since it doesn’t rain in the summer here. What’s a few more gallons to maintain the lovely water lilies?

I guess I’ll have to wait until next spring or summer to continue my lily studies unless I can find another lily pond nearby.