My paintings happen in at least a couple of ways: I’m out hunting for them, usually in a garden, camera in hand, gorgeousness all around me. It can be overwhelming – all these potential paintings, everywhere! Then there’s the way this one came to be – just walking along, dog on leash. Ambushed.

There it was in Marsha’s garden down the street from our house in Fairfax, this really nifty-looking succulent, the sideways morning light making such fabulous colors.

Blue! Part of the shadows were blue. I exaggerated it, but there was indeed blue to start. Add in all the other colors and I just had to paint it.

The first bits I painted – the darks around the edges – were easy, flowing, I thought:  “this will come through in no time at all.”  Then, reality corrected me. So much texture, so many color changes in small areas. We call it art work for a reason. I amuse myself with my ever-optimism.

While I was working on it, I noticed it was gone from Marsha’s yard. Oh, no, it died, I thought. I saw Marsha in her open garage and I asked her about it. It wasn’t getting enough water, so she moved it to a greenhouse in the backyard. Yay! It lives on.

The name was inspired by a song I’ve heard most of my life – from the musical “Hair.” My one-word title “thing” has me calling it “Starshine,” with hopes that the “good morning” will come to your mind on its own.

22″x22″ – Winter 2023/2024 – Watercolor on paper

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