Magnolia trees, for me, are strong symbols of Southern life though I remember my surprise when sitting in a cafe in Rome and seeing one across the piazza in full bloom. What originally drew me to this subject was the strong, complementary contrasts of color between the upper and undersides of the leaves. The inclusion of the palmetto in the background made this painting even more Southern. Fellow artist, Jessica Shippee, was thrilled to purchase this early gouache of mine. Painted during the 2019 “A Brush with Nature” annual event at The Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens.

WC-2019-003