A Bug's Life

Happy Halloween! Several conference attendees were in the spirit of the season and dressed for Halloween. This happens to be my roommate, believe it or not. She's the President of our local chapter of botanical artists and came appropriately dressed. The "glasses" are actually tea strainers that someone had used with a lot of creativity. Her lady bug hat is a small version of a WW1 helmet. Needless to say, she got a lot of comments today.

"A Bug's Life" © Kathy Dunham 2008

Pagoda of the Three Friends

Today I taught a class in the beautiful Chinese Garden at the Huntington Library in San Marino, CA. We spent most of the day at the boat pavilion and had a spectacular view of the pond and the wonderful landscaping on the other side. This is the Pagoda of the Three Friends - the Bamboo, Pine and Plum. The plum because because it's the first to bloom, the bamboo because it's flexible and bends and the pine because is survives tough surroundings. The Chinese put much thought, feeling and meaning into the design of their gardens. This one is a spectacular place to meditate and be one with nature.

"Pagoda of the Three Friends" © Kathy Dunham 2008

Halloween Bug

I'm in Pasadena preparing for the annual conference of the American Society of Botanical Artists. We have artists from all over the world joining us for our three day event. This little critter, "Oncopeltus", is dressed out for Halloween. I found him at the Huntington Library earlier this year on his favorite plant "Scarlet Milkweed". I'll be teaching a journaling class later this week at the Huntington so you'll be seeing lots of pictures from the gardens.

"Halloween Bug" © Kathy Dunham 2008

Patty's Garden

My friend Patty is a Master Desert Gardener and for the past two years she's been working to create a beautiful desert garden at her house. She only incorporates desert adaptive plants and those whose flowers attract birds and butterflies. This year it has really taken off and every time I visit I enjoy the uniqueness of her garden and all the "critters" it attracts. And of course, there's lots of bees and their relatives.

"Patty's Garden" © Kathy Dunham 2008

The Fountain

Having a delightful French breakfast in Paris is always a pleasure when you can sit at an outdoor bistro. There's always something interesting to look at. This wonderful fountain was part of a huge monument at Place St. Michel on the Left Bank.

"The Fountain - Place St. Michel" © Kathy Dunham 2008

Tulip Tree

I spotted these unique blossoms at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena last year. I had never seen anything quite like them. So vibrantly colorful they didn't look real. Although they're an Eastern tree, they were growing quite prolifically in the museum's inner garden.

"Tulip Tree" © Kathy Dunham 2008

Pink Lily

I'm a sucker for flowers. I guess that's why I love to paint them. But this is one I haven't attempted to paint yet. So after finding this gem hidden amongst my Canadian garden photos, I think I have my inspiration.

"Pink Lily" © Kathy Dunham 2008