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about the painting…

When I do occasionally drink, a Dark and Stormy is my first choice. I love the tingle of the spicy ginger beer, and it’s especially fun to order as the weather actually becomes dark and stormy. An empty glass symbolizes death, but I’ve painted a full glass. The moment is here, to be enjoyed now.

Paired with the cocktail is a Dahlia from my garden whose massive blooms hold on despite colder temperatures, still going strong as other flowers fade. Its dark green vase peeks out from the shadow. The vase was a gift from my mom’s best friend years ago, before she passed away. It still reminds me of Sue and all the joy she shared with my mom.

Finally there is the Luna moth, which I have had the pleasure of seeing only once in the wild. I was on a college road trip with my friends, and we stopped around midnight to stretch our legs at a gas station in South Carolina. We heard a strange noise and looked up to see dozens of Luna moths—huge!—and such beautiful green! I couldn’t believe my eyes, and I still remember the feeling of the grin spreading across my face. We stayed about half an hour while my friends indulged me running around like a 5-year-old, and it’s a moment that will be with me for the rest of my life.

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Other available paintings

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