My First Few Paintings

The first few paintings I posted to the public were florals. Florals are something I’ve always been attracted to and as I mentioned in my previous posts, gardening is like a form of therapy for me. Forget meditation and being “present.” Let’s face it—If I want to be present, I need to be behind a canvas or planting something. For some reason in my brain, those are two things that make it slow down and be present. I wish I could say I could do that in other areas, but the fact of the matter is, it just doesn’t work that way for me. Some of my favorite pieces were those that had sentimental value to me. For example, after a small surgery, I had a friend leave me flowers on my doorstep which was so touching, hence, Ranunculuses On the Doorstep. When I first traveled to Eastern Africa in my twenties, the locals greeted me with a bouquet of Anthuriums which led to Part of the Family Now. In an effort to make me feel at home, they told me that when the flowers died, I was no longer a guest, but part of the family. (Isn’t that the coolest?) Last but not least, I felt compelled to help those going through trauma and created Hope for Ukraine. This painting has multiple symbols and layers, and 25% of the proceeds go to Ukrainian Freedom Fund. If you haven’t heard of this amazing organization, I personally know the people who started it. They’ve lived in Kyiv, speak the language, have direct access to the military…it’s incredible. Check it out. While I’m not yet finished with florals, nor do I ever plan to be, I have moved on to landscapes for the time being. I hope you enjoy these as well. Only the future knows what I will be drawn to next. As always, thanks for following along on this amazing art journey! What subject do you most enjoy painting?