A Relaxed Studio Lesson Inspired by Vermont Gardens

Welcome back to the studio.

 

Poppies. Oil on plywood 7" x 5.75"

In this video, we’ll be painting poppies. Back in 2006, my wife and I bought an old house in Vermont that I renovated. The previous owner was an avid gardener and had planted poppies around the property. They bloomed every summer, and over the years, I photographed and painted them many times. Those poppies are the inspiration for today’s painting lesson.

The Oud Vermont house

This is a casual, low-pressure painting session. If the painting doesn’t work out, that’s okay—you can always come back to it once it dries. Try not to overwork the painting if it starts to go off track. Set it aside and start another one instead. After a few attempts, you’ll have several paintings you can return to and adjust later.

Ruth's Poppies

This approach takes the stress out of painting and helps you become more comfortable with mixing colors and working intuitively. Don’t worry too much about the outcome—focus on the process and enjoy the time spent painting.

The boy's back in 2009