Inspiration from Wisconsin

A few weeks ago, we took a 2.5-week long road trip to Oklahoma and Wisconsin to visit family and friends that we hadn't seen in a long time. We had such a great time catching up, baking together, playing games, taking walks in the cool Wisconsin evenings, spending a day on the lake, and just being together. It was a refreshing time, and I'm thankful we were able to take the time to make this trip amidst a crazy busy summer before I start college.

Besides everyone we got to saw, one of the most refreshing parts was all the green we saw in Wisconsin. While it's been triple-digits for just about all of July here in Texas, Wisconsin had pleasantly cool mornings and warm days that weren't scorching hot. My aunts' and cousin's gardens were thriving with bright flowers of all kinds.

We also got to see the cows at the dairy farm my aunt and uncle used to own, and we saw a cousin's horses and goats too. I took a walk with my dad one evening and I always love seeing what we find then. We came across a tiny toad, a butterfly, lightning bugs, and went up to one of the windmills on the property before walking down to the railroad tracks. Walks like that always inspire me to see the beauty around me and enjoy God's creation.

After leaving Wisconsin, we were at a friend's house in Oklahoma, and their daughter and I decided to paint together. One of the first things that came to mind was my cousin's house. I loved the wood paneling and the porch. I loved the flowers and trees all over the property, the tin buckets, and the animals. It felt warm and full of life. So based on one of the photos I had taken, I created this painting.

I used a sponge to paint for the first time. It was helpful for the background of the sky and the first layers of the grass, especially as some of the foamy bubbles created a texture that added some interest to the grass. It kept the strokes light and even and helped keep the trees in the background blurry for a nice atmospheric perspective. After the first layers, I used brushes to paint in the house, tree trunks, and flowers. This was a quick project, so I may go back in later to touch up some things. For example, I want to add a stone pathway up to the porch to connect the house to the foreground and create some more interest in the grassy area.

This was a really fun painting to make, and a really good trip overall. I always enjoy our time in Wisconsin, and this week was no different.