One of my favorite places to go in Seattle, during the long, cold and wet winters, is the Volunteer Park Conservatory on Capital Hill.

Along with so many from the area, I struggle with seasonal depression from lack of sun.

On days when I have had enough of the gray, I like to go to the conservatory and instantly be transported into the balmy warmth, and vibrant colors of the large sprawling greenhouse and it doesn’t take long for my outlook to change.

It has often been my quick escape from the dreariness; a cheery and relaxing retreat from the cold.

The lush oasis is often very quiet except for the soft trickle of water from the nearby fountains and irrigation systems.

One particularly gloomy day, after I had been transported by plant magic to another place, I was wandering among one of the tropical biomes and was struck by the sheer diversity of shapes and colors that nature had to offer.

The calming effect that it had on me, reminded me of lazy summers, swinging on a hammock with gentle warm breezes, gazing up through the shade at all the leaves, a multitude of dark and bright greens vibrating against the sky.

Intoxicated with thoughts of lounging in the tropics, mesmerized by all the intricate patterns and vibrant hues around me, I felt an overwhelming urge to capture this natural reverie in my artwork.

From my years in art school, I had learned about finding beauty and harmony through color, shape and lines and I wanted to find that with my plant studies too.

When I finally started painting these botanicals, I felt a joy wash over me. 

A sense of connection with the natural world, my own way of expressing the awe and wonder I feel every time I encounter a new plant or flower.

My hope is that my botanicals express that same calming vibrancy, each painting an explosion of that harmony found in nature, something to look at and remember warm days ahead.