If a Battle Cannot Be Won, Do Not Fight It - Sun Tzu

I am trying to keep my mind occupied today, so I have been working on these two paintings.
Above, the entire paper, except the focal flower,  was done in a w/w wash of quin. pink

Just hopping around ...

Getting some darks into the background ...

... and a bit more detail in the petals.

This painting got a varied wash of permanent rose.

Then I did the same with indanthrone blue.

Here I've done some work on the grain of the wood, and the glass of the window.

The quote from Sun Tzu explains [sort of] why I am not riding today. It is sunny - gorgeous, but cold and SOOO windy! I would either be blown out of the saddle, or unceremoniously jettisoned from the saddle by you-know-who. This type of weather makes horses very frisky - to put it mildly. So that, plus the more intense level of work to which I am taking him, makes for a much more difficult ride. I think even a pro would have her hands full riding today. So I am choosing my battles. :) This is one I would not win today.

As always, your comments are most welcome!~

Before I Knew What Happened ...

I started adding some shadow to the leaves ...

... and adding, and then darkened the background once more.
Now there are only some tiny touch-ups to do on the pistils and stamens.

Instead of painting, I snuggled with the cat, and watched three hours of documentary-style disaster movies. There's  nothing like watching several possible scenarios of the end of the world or just the human race to put everything into perspective.

As always, your comments are most welcome. ;)

While Waiting for THE WORD on Buddy ...

Some aureolin and quin. burnt orange, w/w.

Several glazes on the flowers - quin. coral, quin. burnt orange and alizarin crimson.

Getting very serious with the alizarin crimson.

I'm painting the leaves, again w/w, with aureolin and phthalo blue. I cannot remember the last time I used that blue, but it seems to be making a nice green underpainting.

I took this at Western Gardens a couple of years ago. I'll have to take my camera there again soon when they open for the Spring.


I started another painting, while waiting for a critique from Anne Zoutsos.  Anne is a friend I met blogging,  and she does fabulous animal portraits,  mostly in oils now,  but at one time she did a lot of dog portraits in watercolor.  She very kindly helps with a no-holds-barred criticism of my work.  I deeply appreciate Anne's honest and forthright words.  In jest, I send my email photos with a note to "Ming, the Merciless" - the super-villain in the old Flash Gordon movies. Unfortunately, Anne has a bad cold, and is coughing all night, so I must be patient,  and wait for The Word from Anne.