In this series, I depict native and invasive plants I’ve encountered in wilderness areas, in vacant lots, and on the edges of my back yard. Through color and gesture, I convey the exuberance and resilience of things that grow wildly without invitation or cultivation.

Part of my task is to express the beauty I find in the uncultivated landscape, while rendering these plants as portraits, distinct and individual.

In painting both native and exotic species, I also ask: Where is a plant considered a weed? When is it welcomed in the wilderness but unwelcome in a cultivated environment? These plants embody parallels between cultural diversity and biodiversity, provoking questions about desirability, exclusivity, and valuation. Painting them allows me to coalesce my love for color, paint, and the natural world.