Flower Every Day Month - Day 24: Iris

This is a wacky-looking iris, isn't it?

Flower Every Day Month - Day 23: Hibiscus

FEDM - Day 22: Another zip

This month is not living up to its name. I should have called it "Flower Almost Every Day Month." I am starting to feel really guilty. This is a common theme with my life. I believe it's good to set goals, and that it's important to complete the goals, but I tend to set too many goals because I feel so strongly about so many things and people.

And then I can't keep it up. I surely can't be the only artist / mom / homeschooler / wife type person to whom this happens...

Flower Every Day Month - Day 21: Foxglove

Flower Every Day Month - Day 20: Allium

I love these!!

Flower Every Day Month - Day 19 - Zip!

I fell under the wheels of my own schedule today and did not get to a flower today. I feel so bad about that, but family obligations often derail the best plans....

Flower Every Day Month - Day 18: Lupines

I had never heard of lupines until that Monty Python sketch "I don't want any of your bloody lupines!"

Flower Every Day Month - Day 17: Poppies

Flower Every Day Month - Day 16: Bleeding Hearts

Flower Every Day Month - Day 15: Lilacs

Lilacs are a long-time favorite of mine. I love to stick my face right in them to smell them, and of course they make me feel all allergic when I do that, but I don't care. They are so amazing. I wish I had time to make a more detailed painting of them.

Flower Every Day Month - Day 14: Gazania

Never heard of these flowers before, but I really like them!

Flower Every Day Month - Day 13: Pansies

Why do pansies always look so angry?  :-)

Flower Every Day Month - Day 12: Clematis

Flower Every Day Month - Day 11: Gardenias

I didn't know what I was going to do with white flowers, but I like how this came out.

Flower Every Day Month - Day 10: Ladyslippers

My friend Hadley suggested I do Ladyslippers. What odd-looking flowers! (Sorry, Hadley!)  :-)

Flower Every Day Month - Day 9: Daisy

When the schedule is tight, go for SIMPLE!

Flower Every Day Month - Day 8: Morning Glories

Flower Every Day Month - Day 7: Cosmos

Flower Every Day Month - Day 6: Sunflowers

Flower Every Day Month - Day 5: Tulips

Yup. Not-realistic works way better for me. I don't only mean that I am not as good at realistic painting (because I could learn). But I really LIKE doing whimsical, design-like art rather than trying to get it to look real. More fun.

Flower Every Day Month - Day 4: Lilies of the Valley

I know that my talent level for doing flowers is wobbly, and not only that it doesn't help that I couldn't get to this until late in the day. I am wondering if a different style might suit these little flower paintings better. (Possibly my usual acrylic "coloring book" style?)

I really do love doing the acrylics on paper like this with the pen outlines, but I think I need to stay AWAY from being too realistic. The outliney technique doesn't work with the realism. I need to cut loose a little more...

Flower Every Day Month - Day 3: Black-Eyed Susans

The perfectionist in me wanted a different result, but it was all I could do today, with other responsibilities and deadlines to attend to. I'm just glad I did it. I think these flower paintings are going to be educational for me, and good practice.

Flower Every Day Month - Day 2: Zinnias

Today's flower is the Zinnia. Even if no one had suggested it, I probably would have done this one first anyway. It's a favorite of mine, not only because of the bold color but also the simplistic, cheerful shape.

A New Year, and "Flower Every Day Month"

In 2013 we lost Cathy Walsh, owner of a wonderfully cheery Worcester flower shop called Sprout. The way Cathy used her gifts and her passion to bring joy to others is an inspiration to me, so I decided that this month, in honor of her I'd do a special version of Art Every Day Month called "Flower Every Day Month."

For this first day, though, I thought I'd paint Cathy herself from a cute photo that's going around. As you can tell by this, I am NOT a painter of people. But given my lack of ability in that area, I still think I captured her happy spirit here.