Vines, Galls & Scapes

When I first discovered a patch of dodder vine wrapping around dried stalks of flowers, I was fascinated by the tiny clusters of seeds and the graceful tangle of vines. My initial response was visual – I wanted to paint it. This is my first body of oil paintings since becoming a mother, and as I explored this intricate, delicate, and tenacious plant, I began to feel an affinity for the host. As a mother, I now stand strong and sturdy like the stalk of the host, while the dodder, with almost no chlorophyll of its own, holds on tight. The tiny tendril can only grow with the nurturance and support of the host. 

I present these entities for consideration, like portraits. Each stem, vine, and seed cluster together represents a life. I keep my grounds minimal so that we can contemplate each life as it carves its path through the world. Sometimes there is one. Sometimes there is more than one. I hope that they will be considered knowing that there are more, perhaps on the same canvas, perhaps on another canvas. There is the possibility of a relationship between these isolated, independent, and sometimes solitary, beings. The space around each dodder becomes charged with potential, just as the seeds of the plant hold the potential for new life.