Since I haven’t worked on the painting for a few weeks, I needed to go back over my saved image database to see where I started and where I’m going. I took the original photo at an arboretum since I don’t have the acreage to grow magnolias in my garden. Once I selected the images from the tens of thousands of flower photos I’ve taken over the years, I made a grid in Procreate & transferred the outline to the prepared canvas. Then I blocked in some colors to create an underpainting. Today, I again began working on this painting and changed the colors I had originally worked with which were first the blues then the purple/pinks. I think the wonderful colors of spring have moved me to now add some of that beautiful lemon green to the magnolia petals. That doesn’t mean that tomorrow I won’t again change my mind about what colors I want to use.

This is a daily journal of my creative efforts as I prepare for my June 2026 solo exhibition in Poughkeepsie, NY, and my November exhibition in Chelsea, New York City.