Plant Native Collection-An Update
You may remember back in November & December of last year I was working very intentionally on a collection of monochromatic floral paintings. My intention then (and still is now) to create a collection of artwork that draws attention to the importance of planting and encouraging the growth of native plants. For me, this means plants that are native to Ohio and the midwest/northeast region.
The collection began with a painting of Goldenrod. One stem in the center of a mustard yellow canvas. From there I painted Asters, Cardinal Flowers, Blue Bell Bellflowers, New Jersey Tea, Royal Catchfly and so on. (You can see my current progress below.)
But something completely unrelated was happening behind the scenes: The results of the 2024 election. My social media media feed began to cause more stress than I had room to process. I decided to detox from social media at the end of December. And it felt great.
However, I also stepped away from my art. And the results were mixed. On the one hand my mind was opened to new ideas that I felt pulled to explore. The Art Decks was one of them. And I still feel very excited about that sector of my creative business as it fulfills my education background. (My undergraduate degree is in Art Education.)
On the other hand, in the three months that followed, I sort of lost sight of my muse: The Earth! Admittedly, living in northeast Ohio is mostly to blame here. The winter months are cold, gray and overcast. Lacking the natural beauty that inspires me the rest of the year. Yes, there is a certain beauty to be seen and appreciated this time of year, but it's not the sort of beauty that inspires ME to create.
Thankfully, with the arrival of spring, I was vey quickly reminded of what I was missing; what I am drawn to pursue and need to create: Artwork that helps the Earth and the plants, animals and ecosystems that inhabit her.
Although I do not yet have a date set to complete and release The Plant Native Collection, I’m happy to inform you that my inspiration has returned and I will once again be working away and adding new paintings. It is still my goal to do a showing somewhere local and once I have the details I will let you know. Of course, the best way to stay informed is to subscribe to my newsletter.
Below are some of the completed paintings that will comprise a portion of the collection. Stay tuned for more.
