pumpkin tumble

Pumpkin Tumble

watercolor on cold pressed paper

55.5 x 7.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

I spotted this lively display of pumpkins outside our local grocery and was inspired to capture them in paint. Yes, I am that woman photographing produce at the supermarket. We did purchase one pumpkin, I think it was the little white one in the bottom right corner of my painting. It now lives on our porch along side a purple mum. It's such a colorful time of the year.

dreaming of the sea

Ocean Dreams II

watercolor on cold pressed paper

8 x 8 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

I am still working out how best to define this series, so is it a series yet? I don't know. The last surf painting was in a rectangular format, this is a square. I really like the square format and can see multiples of these all lined up. We'll see. My challenge here was to keep the soft early morning light on the surf. I used a bit of sandpaper at the end to put some sparkles in the spray. That was kind of fun and kind of scary all at the same time.

Don't forget to visit my Daily Paintworks page to see what works I have available for purchase!

sketchbook :: cinnamon buns

Kiddo's favorite Sunday morning breakfast, sketched with watercolor only in my handmade sketch journal. They are very tasty and very sweet, almost too sweet for me, especially first thing in the morning. I need to inspire her to make muffins, or omelettes, wouldn't that be good!

“In the tapestry of childhood, what stands out 

is not the splashy, blow-out trips to Disneyland 

but the common threads that run throughout and repeat: 

the family dinners, nature walks, reading together at bedtime, 

Saturday morning pancakes.” 

― Kim John Payne

apples

Apple Basket

watercolor on cold pressed paper

5.5 x 7.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

It's nearly apple season season here in our southern mountains. Choosing to paint apples this time, I decided to place them in an old kitchen basket.The variety of textures in this composition was challenging to capture in paint. I did like the warm glow of the basket complementing the crisp, cool light on the apples. Now I'm thinking apple pie, apple bread, apple crisp, apple chips....how do you enjoy apples?

sketchbook :: last of the summer flowers

Summer is fading here in our southern mountains. I found a few lingering flowers from our yard to arrange for our table and to capture in paint.

Ocean Dreams

Ocean Dreams

watercolor and gouache on cold pressed paper

7.5 x 9.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

Available

I have been away from the ocean long enough that it was time to begin painting it again.

Hydrangea

Hydrangea

watercolor on cold pressed paper

7.5 x 9.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

Available

What I am enjoying most about painting with watercolor, in addition to its challenges, are the surprises. Watercolor really is mostly unpredictable. And I love that. When I see something that I would like to paint, I know that if I chose oil, or colored pencil, to create the image then I could be sure of the result. Yet where is the fun in that? By choosing to paint in watercolor, and with all the careful planning I can muster, I am still delighted with a few surprises along the way.

This is a painting of my hydrangea bush that sits beside the corner of our house, right along the walkway. It has been glorious this summer with its large blooms. I enjoyed capturing those blooms in watercolor. Watching the color run into the shadows and highlights of the petals provided many delightful surprises with this painting.

sketchbook :: peach pie

Even though the plate in this sketch looks a bit wonky, the pie really tasted good.

"I cook when I am restless; I like the simple recipes; the preparing of ingredients; the knowledge that if I follow the rules the dish will never disappoint. 

If only people were like this. If only the heart was as simple."  

-from Peaches for Father Francis by Joanne Harris

Pears

Pears

watercolor on cold pressed paper

5.5 x 7.5 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Here is a painting of pears done in the spirit of the Peaches from my last post. I always fall in love with the color variation and shape of pears, and can't resist bringing a few home from the market every now and then. Luckily, we enjoy eating pears. Our latest favorite way to eat fresh fruit is to mix a variety of fruits and berries with plain yogurt and a little honey. That always disappears fast at our dinner table.

what's new again

Peaches

watercolor on cold pressed paper

5.5 x 7.5 inches

© Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

I have been giving my studio space a good clean out these past few days and came across an old shoe box full of stencils that I used to make for my art work and for decorating the walls of our house. Remember when it was popular to have a stenciled border running around a room? The stencil design that I used for the background of this painting was one that I created years ago for the kitchen at our old house. It was inspired by a set of very old dishes that I inherited from my grandmother. The pattern on the dishes, as well as the color I used for our wall, was a blue much like the blue I used for this painting. I liked how the stencil pattern added movement to this still life of peaches.

And we love peaches. There is a man from South Carolina that sells peaches out of the back of his truck, parked along one of the main roads through town. He has been there every summer since we first moved here nearly 23 years ago. One year we bought a basket full and made peach jam and peach pie. This year I did get a bag full for a peach pie. I may have to pick up some more before the season passes.