Painting at Ladew Gardens

Perspectives from The Artist's Road

The Yellow Garden 8.5 x 11” Gouache John Hulsey

What a wonderful experience to arrive at an amazing, old, public garden early in the morning as the sun is just beginning to burn away the mists and fog! My first impressions of this well-known garden in Monkton, Maryland, were filled with that foggy, diffused light, which always creates an atmosphere of mystery and dream. I was meeting up with the other plein air painters who knew each other and the garden well. After introductions, I ventured into the garden proper to scout for a good location to do my demonstration painting. I knew that there was not time to explore the entire garden before I had to set up and work, so I limited myself to the first topiary rooms of sculptured yews which had interesting windows made in them. I was demonstrating my techniques for painting with artist’s gouache, a water-soluble paint which can be used translucently or fully opaquely. This has advantages for the traveling artist, w…