A Passion for Painting in the Garden

A water lily painting “Le Bassin aux Nympheas” by Claude Monet recently sold for more than 80 million dollars at Christie’s Auction House in London.


Quotes by Claude Monet (1840 – 1926)


“Gardening was something I learned in my youth when I was unhappy, I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.”

“My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.”

“ I can only draw what I see.”


“ Everything I have earned has gone into these gardens.”
“ Colour is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.”


“It took me time to understand my water lilies. I had planted them for the pleasure of it; I grew them without ever thinking of painting them”


“It's on the strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way. So we must dig and delve unceasingly.”
A good book to read on Claude Monet….
Claude Monet at the time of Giverny, published by Centre Culturel du Marais – Printed in France by Imprimerie Blanchard, 92350 Le Plessis-Robinson. I did buy this book in Giverny at the American Impressionist Museum on the rue du Claude Monet.

Imagine painting in the garden immersing yourself in the fragrance of the lilies, the blue of the delphiniums, and the sheer beauty of it all. This experience will surely inspire your artistic expression.


The roses and delphiniums are a challenge for me to paint – I will usually set up my easel in the late afternoon, when the shadows are long and the colour of deep blue mauve.


I am excited to start mixing the luminescent paint mixtures that Monet used. According to a letter written by Monet, his palette comprised of the following: lead white, cadmium yellow, vermilion, dark madder, cobalt blue and emerald green. To quote Mr. Monet, “The real point is knowing how to use colours.”


Gardens have always been a passion for me, especially while painting the model among the flowers in a white Victorian dress.


One of the most dramatic areas of my garden is the pond, with my Buddha sculpture reflecting in the pond along with the blanket roses in pink and red and the water lilies.
My intention is to paint the water lilies in my pond as soon as they bloom.

There are times I am wishing to be in my garden painting, but just not feeling up to gathering all the supplies needed to paint in oils. I had read somewhere on the internet about a “cigar box pochade” being used by painters.

If you go to Duane Keiser’s Blog, you can see exactly what I mean. It holds the squeezed out paint (limited palette), turps, etc. I started looking around my assemblage stash of cigar boxes – lo and behold – I have found exactly what is needed and will be outfitting my cigar box with a piece of glass to fit inside and experiencing this wonderful invention.

I think this might be the answer for me for painting in winter in my car.