When choosing a flower from my large collection of flowers in my Photos app, it takes quite some time for me to come down to a final selection. A few considerations I’m faced with are, what colors are interesting to me at the moment? What haven’t I explored before? Will I want to stand in front of this flower for endless hours? And is this choice something I would be proud of for eternity? I came across these photos I’d taken of a Southern Magnolia tree at the Clark Botanic Garden in Albertson on Long Island. The subtle smoothness of the petals, along with the striking center, stole my heart. I made a decision that this is what I’ll be working on next.

These daily studio notes lead toward my 2026 solo exhibitions in New York City and  Poughkeepsie, NY.