Plein air painting the Lotus Garden
The lotus pond in North Kingstown is an artist’s dream. Huge blossoms and elegant, vivid green leaves backlit by the sun entice nature lover and artist alike. We used to pass by the pond regularly on our way to Wickford Shipyard Marina. And I always asked my husband to pull over so I could take “just a few” pictures. While our boat has been dormant on the trailer the past few years, I now go out of my way to make it to the pond at least once a summer to enjoy the beauty of these stunning lotus flowers.
My first attempt, an oil on linen panel painting of an individual bloom. I love other people’s oil paintings of flowers, but this just didn’t capture the translucent leaves the way I had hoped. My paints were too muddy despite my best attempt. I kept thinking the wind must be blowing the petals, because the flower seemed to change shape through the afternoon. Then I realized they were all closing through the afternoon.
The lotus blossoms are just amazing. They are fully open around noon and then close slowly through the afternoon. Painting challenge #1
Lotus Garden 8×10″ watercolor prints available in my shop.
The next day I went back to try again with watercolors, in the 90+ degree heat. I used Arches 140 lb cold press paper and love how this came out. The leaves glow and the flowers are translucent. I spent nearly 4 hours trying to hide in the shade of a nearby tree to paint this (yet still got sunburned) – and loved every minute of it.
The Lotus Pond is located near the intersection of Route 1A and Annaquatucket Rd in North Kingstown, near Hamilton Harbor. The photos were taken in mid July.
