The day started with thick cumulus clouds in the early morning and we were happy they stayed in the sky our entire outing. Having cloud coverage in the desert is always a glorious day because they help by blocking the radiance and heat of the sun. The forecast said today would be in the 80’s during the morning hours, yet we felt the heat rising quickly and knew our time would be cut shorter than expected. We took many photos in the fields which consisted of the sunflowers, pollinators, beetles, and our little family.
Watching our next generation wander and forage through the fields was quite entertaining. I loved seeing her hold her father’s hand as she walked through the fields. I took many photographs of them together that I will cherish forever. My husband was fascinated with the beetles and all the bugs working hard at their daily tasks. He took really great photos as I walked with our baby and explored the undergrowth beneath the flowers. She loved all the straw and sticks. Eventually we had to let her go barefoot to feel the earth under her toes. Textile stimulation is so important and drastically changes the experience of exploration.
We both took lovely shots of the flowers themselves and I have many reference photos to peruse for future paintings. This little visit to Gilcrease Orchard was not only a great family day but a wondrous art day for myself as well. I look forward to the many paintings to come from this experience. Have a Fabulous Friday Evening or Saturday Morning for my friends abroad. I also hope you all have a lovely weekend and get to do something fun. If you are in the Las Vegas area or visiting, there is an art show at the Sahara West Library Gallery. I have a painting on display in the Nevada Watercolor Society Fall Show if you are interested or looking for something to do. The display is up until November 23rd. There are also three other art shows going on until that date at the gallery. Enjoy and as always, thank you for reading!
-Karen Hilliard
Current Available Sunflower Paintings:
Click each painting above to go directly to the artwork on my website!