Garden Studio

There is No Separation

It has been a long time since I have drawn or painted from actual subject matter, but this summer I couldn't stay out of the garden. This garden certainly has its own mind and I haven't always been resigned to what it has produced. My expectations were that after a few years of building the soil I would have beautiful vegetables and flowers, more than we needed to eat and enjoy. However, with Black Walnut trees all around the yard and dry soil conditions (even when watering daily) my efforts weren't matching my expectations. At the Farmer's Market I would see the beautiful produce the farmers were selling and feel a little defeated. But this spring, after the sweet blue Forget-Me-Not's took over a quarter of the garden, I decided that whatever happened this year was fine. I like being out there. A stillness takes over, and I just watch the birds and insects, listen to the sounds, and notice what has decided to grow with or without my help. It is a reminder that Life is in charge.

Thank goodness, because it is certainly more complex and beautiful than my small imagination.

As you can see in the photos, I started drawing on board in the garden. Right away I knew it was going to be a challenge. Setting up the easel, gathering all of the supplies, dealing with the blinding sun and trying to avoid sunburn were all issues I had to solve. I really didn't know where I was going with this piece, but after the drawing, I came back to the studio and took Fernando's suggestion to put in the figure. I see this as an extension of the Inside Itself series that I was working on in the last show.