Garden Painting

Painting Peonies and Iris in the Garden

“Timelessness” 20x16 oil on linen

Hello from the garden,

As I wind down both the anticipation of their bloom, and the lingering knowing of their short debut, I begin to reflect on the past couple weeks of painting the peonies in my garden.

How a flower can humble one, how all of nature does the same. Why do I love the peony so much? I’ve been really thinking about this the past few days since winding down from the intense flurry of trying to capture these fleeting beauties before their petals melt and join the earth once again. For some reason, kindness comes to mind. I may sound a little philosophical (and possiby weird) here. But actually, why did God create something so beautiful and so sweet, yet so fleeting? What if they were here everyday of the year? Would we get immune? I’d hope not, but probably. Things we see drum up memories for us and so many of us remember possibly our Grammas when we see this flower. For me, kindness and everything I live and breathe for - love, compassion, understanding, and communicating with others. That is what this flower symbolizes for me and why it is so important to me to honor them the best I can. This is one of my peony pieces from this year, 2025.

And let kindness be the timelessness we strive for.

Warmly, Kami

“Siberian Iris” 16x8, oil on linen. Painted in the garden.