A commissioned piece for a client who misses her desert.The commission was to express the vitality of her beloved desert through the iconic Saguaro cactus. These magnificent plants are heroic in stature. I did not know that they even produced flowers. They grow these beautiful little bouquets on the tops of their limbs, and these delicate flowers bloom for just one day. They are little buckets of hope to continue the species. They create these halos around the heads and arms of the almost humanoid plants. Little crowns of softness and succulence in a dry and harsh environment. Their call is thunderous to the many birds and insects that live in the desert. These bouquets swarm with activity as the mobile community comes to bask in the bounty they offer.
I originally wanted to create a swarm of hummingbirds around these fine ladies, but in the end, chose to stay with just one. For me there is something about a hummingbird that quickens my heart rate a bit, as if their energy is contagious, an urge to constantly keep moving. You know this little bird will visit every flower, and then move on to find more. My client is very knowledgeable about these cactuses, and even just informed me yesterday that it takes a Saguaro cactus 75 years before it grows a limb, talk about having a will to survive!
56″ x 36″ Oil on canvas
Not for sale, in Private Collection, Prints available