Plein Air @ Elizabeth Gamble Garden Palo Alto CA


It is such a beautiful home and garden to visit. We came often whenever we passed by. Hadn't visited it for a long time, probably since pandemic. I always wanted to paint here too, though it was challenging, no matter how much I love plants, my reaction to pollen can bother me for days. Never mind, I told myself that I had to go.


Surprisingly, there was no parking left in the morning, so I parked my car in the street. And saw many volunteers working in the garden. Most of they looked like seniors.

It was not easy to find a subject to paint. So much variety, encompassing herb & rose gardens, a historic home, a carriage house & a tearoom... I walked around it twice, almost decided to paint the tearoom, because it was my first time seeing the door open, but I was fascinated by the gorgeous lotus glowing leaves in the water fountain under the morning sunlight.

Immediately, I set up my workstation and started to draw. A small bird accompanied me less than ten feet away while I was painting. It was challenging to make the leaves glow, I had to paint the background darker and darker. It wasn't easy in watercolor media. At the end it looked better.  (August 31 2022)



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