Drawn to their distinct pleated foliage and towering sprays of blossoms, I first encountered dense stands of corn lilies (veratrum californicum) while hiking through a meadow in Sequoia National Park. These native perennials are found in Eastern Sierras and other western regions. Although considered toxic and somewhat invasive, these plants contain a unique alkaloid used in clinical trials to treat certain forms of cancer.
In this series, I explore the dramatic contours of their foliage. These paintings suggest biomorphic shapes, geologic patterns, rhythm and movement. In painting them, 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 provoke questions about desirability and valuation. Painting them allows me to coalesce my love for color, paint, and the natural world.
Entreaty, Corn Lily 157.
Oil, graphite on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2017
Swarm of Apprehensions, Corn Lily 175.
Oil, graphite on canvas, 60 x 60 in. 2017
Under the Influence, Corn Lily 160.
Oil, graphite on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2017
Unbridled, Corn Lily 158.
Oil, graphite on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2017
Unruly Pasengers, Corn Lily 156.
Oil, graphite on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2017
Sudden Departure, Corn Lily 255.
Oil, graphite on canvas, 40 x 24 in. 2017
Restless Dreams, Corn Lily, 256.
Oil, graphite on canvas, 40 x 24 in. 2017
Point of Departure, Corn Lily 152.
Oil, graphite on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2016
First Narrow Gate, Corn Lily 162.
Oil, graphite on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2016
Out of Our Depths, Corn Lily 154.
Oil, graphite on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2016
Portal, Corn Lily 153.
Oil, graphite on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2016
For Crying Out Loud, Corn Lily 155.
Oil, graphite on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2016
Take Leave of Our Senses, Corn Lily 161.
Oil on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2017
Private Collection, Danville, CA
Crossing the Rubicon, Corn Lily 159.
Oil, graphite on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2016
Nomad, Corn Lily 164.
Oil, graphite on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2016
Backbeat, Corn Lily 108.
Oil on panel, 24 x 24 in. 2016
Private Collection, Atlanta, GA
The Long Way Home, Corn Lily 150.
Oil on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2016
Private Collection, Danville, CA
Risky Business, Corn Lily 149.
Oil, graphite on panel, 24 x 24 in. 2015
Resurgence, Corn Lily 151.
Oil, graphite on panel, 36 x 36 in. 2015
No Cause for Alarm, Corn Lily 141.
Oil, graphite on panel, 24 x 24 in. 2015
Flights of Fancy.
Oil-panel diptych, 40 x 36 in. 2015
Private Collection, Ft Collins, CO
Short Attention Span, Corn Lily 140.
Oil, graphite on panel, 24 x 24 in. 2015
Persuasion, Corn Lily 146.
Oil, graphite on panel, 24 x 24 in. 2015
Floating Narrative, Corn Lily & Fern 115.
Oil, graphite on panel, 12 x 12 in. 2020