Reflections on the Evergreen Collection
It’s snowing again today in North Carolina. We haven’t gotten snow in my part of the state since 2022—and this is the 3rd snowfall we’ve had just this season!
Of course, the child in me is absolutely thrilled (although this snow has already proven itself ill-fitting for snowman construction), but it’s my garden and the forest outside that are getting the real treat. Snow has been dubbed “the poor man’s fertilizer” thanks to its ability to bind to nitrogen in the air, bringing it down to the soil as it settles. Come spring, things might just be a bit greener thanks to the cold days we’ve endured.
Nature is a beautiful tapestry in that way, isn’t it? No design left unused. The fact that even the bitter cold of winter is quietly working to help things grow is a quiet reminder of how—somehow, even now—all things are working for good.
Winter and I have not always been amiable. I cannot stand to be cold, and I always find myself struggling with the early sunsets and bare forests. It’s a time of year I’ve always tried to distract myself through, just waiting for those first little hints of green to dot along the branches once again.
My art practice is inherently seasonal. I cannot paint leaves that aren’t growing, so I’ve learned to squirrel away plenty of extra deciduous leaves during greener days. Even in my art, I was always just waiting for winter to pass.
But this year, I wanted to set aside my usual distractions, and try giving winter my full attention. Instead of stocking up on summer leaves to paint through the winter, I chose to see what canvases this season may offer. With that resolution came the Evergreen Collection.
A selection of paintings from this series. You can view the full collection here.
This series in particular has finally led me to a kind of friendship with winter. For the first time (even after 8 years of painting leaves), I took a whole month to just paint snowy scenes—and actually study them. It’s hard to spend that much time painting any subject and not learn to admire it a little bit. Working only with evergreen plants as my canvases added a new layer of appreciation. I found myself eager to learn the names of different broadleaf evergreen species found in our state—and excited to stumble upon them in the otherwise bare woods.
I’m finding that shaping my art practice to work with the changing seasons, rather than against them, is deeply rewarding. It’s a unique rhythm to this little leaf-painting process, and one I’m finding more joy in with each passing season. Making art requires us to look closer, and in doing so calls us to a deeper appreciation. One of the greatest gifts being an artist has given me is a stronger love for this ever-shifting, intertwined world. I don’t think I’ll ever run out of things to paint, if only because I’m just too enamored by it all!
Now, I won’t lie and say I don’t still prefer the warmth and richness of summer’s greens, (I am a leaf painter, after all!) but there’s a beauty in all of it—each time and season—that inspires me to paint. I’m hoping this collection will be a reminder to myself—and you as well, if you need it—to look closer, learn something new, and maybe find some beauty in the things you’d otherwise overlook.
Snow is still quietly falling outside the studio, and I can almost hear the whispers of plants-to-come celebrating it. I think I may be a bit better for the snowfall, too.
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