Painting in a Garden

Every year The Creston Art Club has a Paint-out and Pot-luck lunch at the home of one of our members. This year the event was held in the gardens of Jenny Steenkamp.

Jenny has a beautiful home in an orchard with cherries, apricot, peaches and other fruit all around. She also has an incredible garden with so many fascinating little buildings surrounded by fabulous plants and flowers.

I think we had about 18 of our members attend and we all spread out around the yard to paint whatever took our fancy.

From flowers to buildings, fish ponds to mountain views, there was something interesting at every turn.

The building here is a screened gazebo which was set up for all the wonderful dishes that were brought for the pot-luck.

I am not sure what this structure was intended for but it reminded me of a little bandstand but with seating.

This little gem is a children's playhouse, used mostly for storage now as the children are all grown. I tried to draw and paint this scene with only minor success so you won't see a photo of my painting - lol. I do buildings better when I can take my time and plan. One day I should go back and study the building and try the scene again.

This was the scene I should have painted as I am much better at landscapes in a plein aire situation. This is a view of the Skimmerhorn Mountains on the east side of the Creston valley with a wild poppy bed in the foreground.

It was a great day, with fellowship and painting together - how could it miss?