Flora’s Veil
Oil on canvas, 20 x 20 in.
Flora’s Veil is part self-portrait and part apparition, and a reflection of my life as both painter and native gardener. The figure is caught between blooming and concealment, her face framed by petals and leaves, as if nature has claimed her, or she’s chosen to dissolve into its shelter. Rooted in the subtropical beauty of Florida, the painting draws from the myth of Flora while honoring the fragile line between conservation and creating fake landscapes. The deep reds echo climbing roses, hibiscus, firebush, and passionflower are all plants that thrive in heat, weather storms, and feed the pollinators that sustain our ecosystems. It’s a meditation on transformation, protection, and the quiet power of what still grows.