This design was specifically done for the annual Mardi Gras celebration. I used my reference photo of garden sunflowers. I love the big, bold shapes of the flowers! I cannot resist painting them because they are happy flowers and my favorites. After drawing the design directly on the archival foamboard, I begin with specific shapes […] more »
For this piece, I used one of my reference photos taken many years ago of a barn down the road. I added a windmill from another neighbor’s farm, as it’s a popular agricultural icon. I used artistic license for the barn’s colors. Another favorite element of my farmscapes is using an Iowa map for the […] more »
I find that painting in a series challenges me to create more dynamic designs using the same elements, and to capture a day in the life of an artist. For this piece I used a reference photo taken many years ago. Sometimes I use more than one photo when I initially pencil in the composition, […] more »
It began with a drawing from life of a beautiful Amaryllis, but I did not want to paint just an ordinary flower. Instead, I divided the paper into fractured planes, drawing around my initial design of the flower. The quilt-like shapes and value changes adds depth and interest to the flower. As I began painting, […] more »
My inspiration with sunflowers is limitless! I started a loose contour sketch using my photographs of our garden flowers, but the design changed from the initial idea. I cut and arrange the shapes and let it evolve on its own. I usually decide on a background hue first (here a limited palette of teal and reds) […] more »
Marybeth Heikes is pleased to announce that her watercolor painting Soldiers & Sables has been accepted in the 2016 All Media National Exhibit at the Octagon Center for the Arts in Ames, Iowa. The opening reception will be January 29, 2016 and continue through April 7. This particular painting was previously exhibited in the Rockies […] more »
My second model, Sally, was happy to sit and pose for this painting. She looked at me very intently, wondering what I was doing. After the picture taking, she settled in for a long nap. I do work from my photos most of the time, as pets move around too much unless you plan to […] more »
Vincent showed up for a modeling session last weekend, so I decided to focus on a close-up of his face. He has expressive eyes and is happy to sit and pose for me. I used lots of thickly applied watercolor pigments with some acrylic medium. He is quite happy with the results! more »
For me, the challenge is to continue this series and expand on the teapot designs. My goal is to do at least twenty unique designs. Originally the focus for this background was to be a crossword puzzle, but it evolved into the arrow-like shapes. I also wanted to use a different range of colors than […] more »
Cats play a big part in our lives and I have a lot of models around during the day. Felines love squashing themselves into a small box and I used a reference photo for this watercolor painting. I used a limited palette of cadmium orange, cerulean blue, sap green, ultramarine blue, white and thalo red. more »