A Great Morning in the Botanical Gardens

This is the painting I began today.
8 x 10
oil on canvas

I didn't finish my painting yet but I decided to post it anyway since I had several others photos to post today.

A blue heron in one of the natural areas at the botanical gardens.

 Cecilia Robertson painting in the botanical gardens.

Me painting in the botanical gardens.

Me and Cecilia with the painting Cecilia did of me.

The portrait Cecilia did of me.

Today was a very enjoyable day even though the temperature was 101. I was in the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens by 7:15. My friends and fellow artists, Allen Riddell  and Olivette Hubler, were already there. We were eventually joined by Leslie Talty, George De Chiaro, Cecilia Robertson, Tom Kellie, Margie Whittington, Tosca Engish,and  Chris Toplyn. We found shady areas and were able to stay cool enough until after 10:00. Some of our group used watercolors but most used oils. My friend Cecilia painted opposite of  Leslie, and me. She wound up doing a portrait of me. I think she was drawn to the complementary colors  of my shirt and cap as well as the way I sometimes paint holding my canvas. She gave me the painting at the end of our outing. I'm so proud to add my first "Robertson" to my art collection. I really love the painterly approach she took to it. After we finished painting seven of us went to brunch at the Swiss Pastry Shop. The food is always good there but today the air conditioning was even better. Then four of them came back over to my house for dessert and to see my studio and art collection. I had a couple of new sculptures that I'm working on as well as some new art books to show them.
A morning spent painting with friends is a great way to start the day.