Bees on Flowers - painted art quits - Verbena Bonariensis

This is a continuation of a few previous posts about the making of bees on flowers art quilts.

The second piece that I painted was the bee on the pink flower.  I believe it was on a verbena bonariensis, which is actually purple.  I'm not aware that I have any pink flowers that look like the picture, but I know that I took it.  Anyway, instead of trying to recreate the actual color, I used the color as it appeared.  I mixed the paint in a palette that allowed me to mix a lot of shades of the colors that I wanted to use.  It has a cover that allows me to paint a bit, and then come back the next day to finish it off. 

Here is the piece with just the flower and bee painted.

I painted the background after the flower had dried.

I'll show the thread sketching and quilting in a future post, and I hope you like it so far!

Bees on Flowers

OK, these are not quilts.  But I do have to post some of the pollinators that are in my garden this year.  I love having a garden filled with plants that are welcoming to all kinds of bees, birds, and bugs.  Enjoy!

                                                                    On a zinnia

On a dahlia

                                                            On a drumstick allium

Bees on Flowers - Camasia - part 3

This is a continuation of 2 previous posts about the making of the bees on flowers art quilts.  This is the bee on the native Camasia flower.

I layered the painted fabric with a stabilizer and did some light stitching, or thread sketching, to bring the piece to life.  Many things can be done with thread that can't be done with the paint alone.  But too much threadwork covers up all of the glorious painting.  So, if you do it, make sure its with a light hand.

The piece was layered with batting and backing and quilted.  The edges were faced to complete the piece.

I hope you like it!