Is Landscaping Art?

One of three rock pavements, another easy weekend project!

 Arch Detail

It's for the birds.

Fountain of blessing (and impatiens!)

Memorial Grape Arbor (note the stone pavement).

 In memory of Junior.

 In Memory of Connie Schick.

In Memory of Scott Aton.

Can you guess what these were (before 
I hijacked them for yard art)?

Impatiens are also low maintenance and, quite prolific in the shade.  Their boisterous color transports me to the tropics.

A Mandala--symbol of wholeness.

The flower of sunworshippers--well, that would be me.

Crocosmia--minimal maintenance (but stunning--and sun-loving)!!

Notice "The Great Wall"--we built approximately 600 - 700 feet of them, all by ourselves!!  I used to joke that we built rock walls for a hobby.  (Actually, would you believe it was a weekend project?)

The question has arisen (for me) "Is Landscaping Art?".  This is because it seems like I spent most of last summer landscaping (and therefore had much less time for what might be considered "art").  However, one of my favorite artists, Monet (and others I'm sure), was a passionate gardener, so I like to think that I have taken a cue from him.  Not exactly Giverny, but the garden is one of my favorite places none the less, especially on one of our rare sunny days in the Pacific Northwest.  And of course, there is nothing like a garden for artistic inspiration!  More to come in 2012 . . .

Sno-White

Color Corrected and Poster Effect Added

Original Photo

A bit of nostalgia from my home town. This sign graced the state highway approach even before my earliest memory of it.  Made a great stop on the way home from "The Plunge" after a swim. It's still there, and I couldn't resist a photo!

Up In Smoke

Up In Smoke, graphite  (11" x 14")

Reference (Original) Photo

A warm, sunny, lazy, October Barcelona, Spain morning.  Is this smoke part of her daily routine? What is she thinking? Her gaze is inscrutable.

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, Watercolor  (12" x 16")

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse (Original photo)

Lauren at the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse

I painted the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse in Long Beach, Washington, from a sketch I made several years previously, and without a reference photo.  Recently, I finally took my photo (above).  My niece, Lauren, says that "Cape Disappointment" is somewhat of a misnomer, since it is anything but. 

Abstract I

Abstract I, Mixed Media  (10" x 14")

Remember those art projects back in second grade when the assignment was to scribble something and make it into a piece of art?  Well, one day (a few years back) that sounded like fun, so I tried it. The medium is watercolor crayon and colored pencil. My other half said that he liked it, so he got it for Christmas.  It is now getting proper respect hanging on the wall in his office.  Maxine Masterfield (see "Tropical Delight ", September 28, 2010) even gave it a thumbs up.

Lavender Fields Forever

Cropped and Poster Effect Added

Color corrected with Photoshop

Original Photo

Yes, purple is in my soul!  So, I couldn't resist shooting these lavender fields when I came upon them in Escalon, California (lavenderhollowfarm.com).  Again, lovely patterns and experiments with Photoshop.

Peacock Sublime

Poster effect added; again I was pleased
(and surprised) with how this turned out.

Cropped and color corrected with Photoshop

Original Photo

There are a few things that must be in heaven as they are on earth, and as far as I'm concerned, peacock feathers are one of them.  What gorgeous art!  I am awestruck by the patterns and colors in nature.  This German peacock was very cooperative while I photographed his tail.  Maybe I am over-using the poster effect, but remember, I'm still experimenting, and I did really think that the end result was pretty cool!