I was intrigued by the winding quality of this branch and the way it snaked across the camera’s viewfinder.
The blossoming branch grew on a tree at a favorite garden – Filoli. The Magnolia artists were on a field trip there the April before the pandemic.
I messed with the composition, adding a small clsuter here and there, to both accentuate the wave and take up some of the extra negative space. I was glad for the tops of the huge valley oak trees in the background that found their way into the frame.
I knew painting this would take a while -so many petals and all the intricate details of stems and sunlight weaving through. Even without a single focal point, the composition had me wanting to stick it out.
I started painting two years later, it the spring of 2021 – in the garage! My art groups first gathered in person in the spacious garage at my house. We were so excited to be together – with each other and all the paintings we had done while gathered on Zoom.
My beloved Sister Mary Neill helped with the name. When she saw this one she said “Oh, Honey! It gives glory to God!” “Glory” it is.
April – August, 2021 – 20 1/2″ x 41″ – Watercolor on Paper
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