Sunning in the Backyard, ©Kelly Leahy Radding 2010, egg tempera on panel

I was trying to post more than once a week, but when the deadlines are looming and the stress is building over making the deadlines, sitting at the computer is tough!

Here is the progress over the last week or so. I took a painting hiatus to work on the catalog for our New England Society of Botanical Artists (NESBA) 2010 Boston Flower and Garden Show. I got the test book uploaded to Blurb.com on  3/2 and I am eagerly awaiting its arrival so that I can proof, make any changes, and then order the rest! After a one year absence, the Boston Flower Show is back! I will be sitting our NESBA booth on the afternoon of 3/25; I will also be demonstrating my technique of watercolor on vellum. This will be my first time helping at the Show and I am looking forward to it! If you can, stop by, it is sure to give you a break from the winter weather and a big huge case of Spring Fever. My painting of heirloom shell beans was done for this show.

After getting that deadline done, I had to focus back on Italy! I am almost done with the 2nd of 3 egg tempera panels (above), of course the statue still needs to be done, but I left it to get started on the 2nd of 3 botanicals I intend to finish. I started on this painting yesterday;

Villa del Palmerino grapes

And here is what I managed to get done yesterday afternoon & evening;

Villa del Palmerino grapes!

I am grateful that the white grapes caught my eye; they are taking a lot less color layers than the red/purple grapes would have taken. I know that is a bit of a cop-out but with my deadline of 3/18 looming with 4 paintings to complete, including 2 botanicals, every minute counts!

I chose to do this painting on Kelmscott vellum which is pretty much the Rolls Royce of vellum, the surface is sublime and I am enjoying how it takes the color so delicately. We’ll see how much I get done today!