DIXIE FRIEND GAY

SHSU 6, 7, 8

2012-01-30T20:19:00.003-06:00

Here are days 6, 7, 8 but they are all starting to run together. We made it to the outside wall and started grouting inside. Check out the detail shots from the bottom section of the wall that is now finished except for the final cleaning and buffing. It's really looking fantastic!

Got to get grout in every crack.

Grouting...

Sponging...

Emily working hard inside and Mike preparing to hop into the mural outside.

And finally buffing!

So pretty after grouting

Q, last piece outside!

All up and the integration of the outside and inside looks amazing!

Before

After

Love this flower!!!

A Walk in the Woodlands

2012-01-22T23:31:00.000-06:00

Kate and I had a fabulous day off from the installation. We went walking in George Mitchell Nature Preserve, taking pictures for research and enjoying a beautiful January day.

SHSU Days 3, 4, 5

2012-01-18T11:22:00.000-06:00

Saskia voguing

What a view!

Another angle...

Emily taking a break, and voguing

The corner piece, to be cut

Moving up, piece by piece

the surrounding scenery

Let the grouting begin!

Taking care of the turtle

We made it to the second floor!

The view below

I love this flower

A long way across and a long way down...

Up up and away!

Perfect end to the day

SHSU Day 2

2012-01-13T21:58:00.000-06:00

Conversing on separate lily pads/scaffolds

Only blue tape here, never red

"Two buckets and two bucket heads" - Saskia

I love this one!

View outside the window

Sam Houston State University- INSTALL!

2012-01-12T22:10:00.000-06:00

First day of the installation for Sam Houston State University in the Woodlands. It's a pleasure to work with Mosaika again. We are reaching great heights on this one. Check out their pictures here.

Mike, always welcome as one of the girls.

Saskia, can I buy a vow_l?

First piece!

Emily's magic disappearing pants

Wilson?! From Home Improvement?!

Looking up the wall

Emily fishing...

Kate's voguing

The end of a good day.

Office Christmas Party

2011-12-21T14:21:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday, Kate and I had our office Christmas party: a night out on the town, walking around Houston touring all the beautiful lights with friends and family. There were a few carols sung, some red noses and even a house with a live Santa in the yard!

~~~HAPPY HOLIDAYS~~~

A Christmas Bunny

2011-12-20T12:11:00.000-06:00

Last week Kate found a rabbit in the yard. She approached it and it sniffed her! Since then Garland and I have both hand fed it and it is currently living under the trailer in the back yard. He doesn't really like celery but he loves carrots! Tops and all!

Sam Houston 3D Tile

2011-12-13T12:24:00.001-06:00

Some more updates on Sam Houston State University's wall: The 3D tiles are in. They look so good! I'm very excited to install this project next month.

Inspired Cake

2011-12-13T12:08:00.002-06:00

I just received an email from TH Rodgers school, where I participated in career week back in October. They made a cake inspired by my work. Yum!!

UPDATE: I got another wonderful email from a TH Rodger student who is kind enough to allow me to post it below. Thank you Ciera!!

Dear Ms. Gay,

Today in art class we made cakes based on certain artists work. My group chose your peice The Bethnic Zone. The cake took alot of hard work but in the end it turned out fenominal and I would love for you to see it. I havent taken a pictire of it yet for you to see but I will try to take one A.S.A.P. The cake doesnt look exactly like the peice because we didnt have all of the resources to make it exact but I think our hard work paid off. Please write back.

Thank You,

Ciera Montoya

T H Rogers 6th Grade Student

Fall Flowers in the Garden

2011-11-16T11:43:00.001-06:00

Rick Rack Cactus (Selenicereus anthonyanus)

Don Juan Rose (Rosa spp.) Thryallis (Glaphimia glauca)

Mexican Butterfly Weed (Asclepias curassavica)

Spicy Jatropha (Jatropha integerrima)

Coral Vine (Antigonon leptopus) Cypress Vine (Ipomoea quamoclit)

Fairy Duster (Calliandra haematocephala)

Portulaca (Portulaca spp.)

Firespike (Odontonema strictum)

Night Blooming Jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum)

Gomphrena (Gomphrena globosa)

Peacock Ginger (Kaempferia pulchara)

Purple Heart (Tradescantia pallida)

Pink Buttons (Polygonum capitatum)

Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia spp.)

Texas Olive (Cordia boissieri)

Bulbine (Bulbine frutescens)

Cigar Plant (Cuphea ignea)

Tropical Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes spp.)

Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana)

Turkscap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii)

Canna (Canna spp.)

Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus)

Sweet Memory Duranta (Duranta erecta)

Shrubby Allamanda (Allamanda schottii)

Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia spp.)

Queen Palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana) with

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

New Sculpture

2011-11-16T11:35:00.001-06:00

Time Shift

In my paintings this year I have been working with emotions on a cellular level. Time Shift is an exploration and expansion of those ideas in a three dimensional space. This has been a great year for playing in the studio.

Happy 30th Orange Show!!!

2011-11-07T11:27:00.000-06:00

Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com

Had a marvelous time at the Orange Show's 30th Anniversary Gala! The dress code was come as the star you are. Being a Leo, I came as the sun. My arm candy is a rock-n-roll star.

Check out the article in Houston Culture map here:

http://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/11-06-11-05-00-orange-show-gala/

Kate and I also helped make the amazing 12ft cake mentioned in the article.

Here is a picture taken while setting it up Saturday morning.

It was a lot of work, as well as a lot of fun.

Good News from Dallas!

2011-10-24T13:28:00.001-05:00

The Dallas Observer has posted a link to a sneak peak of the public art to appear in the New Love Field Airport. Notice the mosaic wildflower wall I proposed for the main entry lobby wall...

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/10/take_an_early_stroll_through_t.php

I'm really excited about this project and to be part of such a great collection. Checking the website in the next few weeks for images of the design and the beginning of the painting.

Fall in Montreal

2011-10-24T11:26:00.001-05:00

Even with all the work in the studio, we were able to get out and spend some time on the mountain that rises in the center of Montreal. What a glorious fall!

Sam Houston continued...

2011-10-21T12:07:00.000-05:00

Working hard this week in Montreal... it's coming together nicely. Check it out!

Final Placement- This the the bottom 6 feet or so of the mosaic.

The brown and white tiles have not been glazed yet.

Sam Houston Progress

2011-10-19T15:48:00.002-05:00

I'm in Montreal Canada this week working with Mosaika on the finishing touches to the 3 story mosaic for Sam Houston State University satellite campus in the Woodlands, TX. I'm working to place the handmade tiles Kate and I made in the studio this summer. The tiles are a variety of shapes and textures from frogs, spiders and lily pads to microscopic pollen, seeds and pond life. We are also recycling left over tiles made for Strata which was completed in 2009! I'm placing all the textural handmade tiles at hand and eye level so they can be viewed and accessed easily as people move up and down the staircase.

The whole mosaic is looking great and I'm excited to see it installed. The installation date is set for January 2012.

Special thanks to the whole Mosaika team! It would not look as good without your hard work and goods eyes. To see the team in action check out their studio blog. To see the original painting and a rendering of the mosaic click here.

placing handmade tiles

recycled Strata tiles

HeLa Retablo

2011-10-04T17:41:00.000-05:00

It's Retablo time!!! Every year, Lawndale has a retablo exhibition to honor and celebrate Dia de los Muertos. The retablos are sold for fundraising at a silent auction gala. I've been making a retablo for Lawndale for many years and really look forward to the whole event every year. For this year's retablo, I took inspiration from the book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot which told the story of Henrietta Lacks and HeLa cells.

For more information about all the Dia de Los Muertos festivites and tickets to the gala at Lawndale click here. Hope to see you all that gala!

Backyard Beehive Adventures

2011-09-29T17:17:00.001-05:00

We had a very adventurous day at the studio Monday! Jennifer the Bee Wrangler came over to help move a bee hive that was living in a tree in the yard. The tree has been dropping limbs and badly needs to be trimmed but the tree guys will not go near it until the bees are gone. I have been interested in bee keeping for a while and really wanted to keep the hive. I've even been making honey comb like sculptures, subconsciously inviting bees into my life. Miraculously, a friend pointed me to Jennifer, a local Houston bee wrangler, who will come and take the bees, allowing them 2 months to regenerate their hive and then bring them back to install in a new box hive in my yard. Check out Jennifer's site and blog at www.thebeewrangler.com. The images below to give a glimpse of the amazing process she uses to get the bees out of the hive. Here's a hint: it involves a shop-vac!

subconscious sculpture

Step 1: making smoke to calm the bees

Step 2: Cutting off the honeycombs

Step 3: The vacuum

Step 4: Cutting the hole bigger

Step 5: Searching for the queen and pulling out more honeycombs from inside the hole

Step 6: Making sure the queen did not fall out!

Step 7: Checking out the honeycombs

Looks like the queen is in there!

Hive relocation SUCCESS!! Thank you Jennifer!!

METRO North Line designs at MFAH

2011-09-29T17:17:00.000-05:00

Come see the final designs for the Metro expansion at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The work I did for both Burnett and Boundary stations are on display in the hallway in the lower level of the Beck building. Also check out the great article in Houston Culture Map here.

To see images of the designs check out Metro on my Current Projects page.

Thank you to Sara Kellner at Kellner Consultants and Arts in Transit for putting on such a lovely opening reception.

Lewis Elementary School Complete

2011-07-06T15:03:00.002-05:00

Last week I completed the Lewis Elementary School lion mural. Lewis Elementary is a brand new HISD elementary school just north of Hobby Airport on Rockhill. Anyone in Houston should go check it out in person. The school will be open to the public in August 2011.

The whole mural went up in jigsaw pieces cut roughly 14" x 14".

This was Kate and my favorite jigsaw piece.

The last piece goes in!

Many thanks to the installation team, myself, Kate and Carlos.

The whole project would not have been possible without the hard work of Mary Walker and Noe Almaguer of Molina Walker Architects and Justin Jordan and Spencer Bennett of Drymalla Construction. Spencer was a bit allusive and missed picture time... Thanks to all of you!

One more job completed!

Lewis Elementary School, Day 3

2011-06-29T21:12:00.003-05:00

End of 3rd day

Lewis Elementary School, Left side

2011-06-28T16:42:00.003-05:00

Left side with details

Lewis Elementary School, Right Side

2011-06-28T12:39:00.002-05:00

The right side, installed before lunch.

Lewis Elementary, A Blank Canvas

2011-06-28T10:52:00.002-05:00

New Installation

2011-06-28T10:45:00.002-05:00

Kate laying out tile. Stay tuned for more updates!

-Posted from my iPhone

Evening light

2011-05-26T19:32:00.002-05:00

The light is magical this evening

Gypsy Cat

A clean "dirty studio"

2011-05-21T13:06:00.002-05:00

Friday afternoon clean up. Kiln firing a load of glass.

Garden Delights

2011-05-16T11:22:00.001-05:00

The first Daylily of the season.

Water

2011-04-11T11:03:00.000-05:00

Check out our new sample: a fused glass labyrinth. We worked with Gene Hester at his studio to make this beautiful piece of 14" x 14" x 1.5" thick glass. Thanks Gene!

Valentine's Altar

2011-01-28T12:48:00.000-06:00

2011 Valentine's Altar. Always my favorite.

New Samples!

2011-01-03T15:20:00.000-06:00

My assistant Kate and I have been busy making mosaic samples using microscopic pollen and wetlands life for inspiration. Can you find the butterfly wing magnified 425 times?

Metro Designs

2010-11-01T17:18:00.000-05:00

Last week I completed designs for two metro stations to be built on the light rail Northline expansion. Construction is still a long ways off, but it feels good to get the design done.

All the butterflies represented on the screens are native to Houston. We caught and photographed many of the them in my garden.

The vine images also originated from my garden.

Spider Women: A Tribute to Louise Bourgeois

2010-10-28T15:05:00.000-05:00

Although I missed posting this for the opening, Darke Gallery is showing a selection of the work from Spider Women: a Tribute to Louise Bourgeois in the upstairs gallery until November 6th. See the press release below and thank you to everyone who came to the opening. It was a great night!

Distillation I, II Mixed Media, 2010

DARKE | gallery is pleased to announce the opening of Spider Women: a Tribute to Louise Bourgeois, a group exhibition of Houston artists Dixie Friend Gay, Tara Conley, Rebea Ballin, Kia Neill, Debra Barrera and Anne J. Regan. An opening reception for the artists will be held on Friday, September 10, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. The exhibition continues through October 6, 2010.

French-American artist Louise Bourgeois passed away last May at the age of 98. Listed as one of the 25 Most Influential Artists of the 20th century by Art News, Bourgeois was perhaps best known for her spider structures, titled Maman, which resulted in her being nicknamed the Spiderwoman. Although wholly autobiographical, for decades her work has ignited the imaginations of younger artists. The six women featured in this exhibition all feel a strong personal connection to Bourgeois’ work.

Artist Rabea Ballin says, “I am most connected to Louise Bourgeois’ ongoing exploration of personal memories, the female body, and identity. I am an avid collector, I prompt questions about female experience through my exploration of specific hairstyles, and I think of them as sculptures. Her early drawings and pioneering of organic form, discovery of self, and personal memorabilia is what I hope to capture”.

Also exhibiting for the first time, Kia Neill is interested in how domestic craftwork can evoke escape through preoccupation and how the crafted object functions as an artifact for sentiment and gesture. The repetitive procedure of activities such as knitting, quilting, embroidery, etc, paired with a partial level of concentration such monotonous processes require, can induce a form of meditation. Drawing from craft processes, home décor and the ritual of collecting natural relics and kitsch items, Neill aims to give surreal form to cultural desires and anxieties, while signifying an evolving mutated interpretation of nature.

Tara Conley states, “I’ve had an affinity and connection with both the forms and significant emotion that make her work what it is. Nothing seemed to stop her from expression, she allowed materials to expand her work, not hold her back. I was honored to have my “Bronze Bunny” placed in the Lafayette Square by the Sculpture for New Orleans project. And I am always pleased to have people remark on the connection they see in our work.”

Dixie Friend Gay has focused on public-art projects and museum exhibitions since 1998. Her work explores the mystery and power of nature. Her art has been featured in galleries and museums including the Bronx Museum, Allan Stone Gallery, and COFA Gallery in New York; the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; and the Eiteljorg Museum, Indianapolis. Her focus on public art projects includes a 25 foot tall metal spider entitled “Arachnophilia”, which straddles a hike and bike trail in Austin, Texas. Spider Women will feature Gay’s paintings, drawings and sculpture, including works never before seen.

Gallery favorites and new Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Houston, Debra Barrera and Anne Regan, return to exhibit new bodies of work.

Now in its fourth year, the newly enlarged DARKE | gallery exhibits contemporary art of the finest quality, with a focus on emerging and established artists with Texas ties. Located at 320 B Detering @ Feagan, the gallery is open noon to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday and by appointment. For more information call 713-542-3802 or visit www.darkegallery.com.

Syncopation Sea Installation

2010-10-28T12:53:00.001-05:00

In May the team from Mosaika came back down to Houston to help install 3 mosaic murals in the newly built Ocean and Coastal Studies building at Texas A&M Galveston. The two mosaics were fabricated out of tumbled smalti at the Mosaika studio in Montreal. The tumbled smalti produced the prefect soften underwater effect for the mosaics. The relief sculpture, Benthic Zone, was fabricated here in my studio. My assistant Kate and I worked from February to May, hand forming clay and fusing and flame working glass to represent microscopic ocean life. The building is now open! Come check out the finished product and for more images of the installation visit the Mosaika Galveston installation blog.

The Wonderful Team! My, what 5 women can do...

Beginning conception of "The Benthic Zone"

"The Benthic Zone"- 43 feet installed panel by panel.

Strata Installation

2010-09-02T16:08:00.000-05:00

I've been very busy this past year with multiple installations in Texas. In October/Novemeber 2009 we installed Strata, a 3 story mixed media mosaic and glass stairway mural. Thanks to the Mosaika team from Montreal, it went up like a dream...with a hint of a nightmare... See more pictures of the install on the Mosaika blog.

Final piece in!

Houston condensation is dreadful!

Ike, One year later

2009-09-09T11:10:00.001-05:00

September 13, 2008, a massive 55" diameter oak went through my rental property next door. It was one of the largest trees in the neighborhood and completely covered the house, draping over all sides of it.

The limbs from the tree were stacked 5 feet x 5 feet x 200 feet long. Here is Garland and Lily a couple weeks after the storm.

I saved the base of the tree and carved a throne with a chainsaw, fine tuned it with a grinder and smoothed with a sander. It is finished with a gallon of watco and hand-rubbed tung oil.

Ike's Throne, a meditation on the power of the storm and the energy captured within the tree.

A Walk in the Garden (Part 3)

2009-06-17T10:45:00.001-05:00

Plumeria Frangipani

Desert Rose

Miklkweed

Bleeding Heart Vine, Clerodendrum Thomsoniae

Pride of India, glorious peonies

Dragonfruit blossom, Hylocereus undatus

Ranch Installation

2009-06-10T10:20:00.001-05:00

Dance lessons- every Monday night!

2009-06-02T18:26:00.001-05:00

Strata Tiles: Waterway Project in The Woodlands

2009-06-01T15:06:00.001-05:00

This project, Strata, is to be installed in fall 2009. These are handmade tiles that will be incorporated into a larger mosaic of mixed stone, clay and glass.

Cast glass to represent a lizard trapped in amber

Detail of amber

Fake fossils created in clay, fired and glazed

IKE

2008-09-11T22:24:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, we filled the cars with gas and purchased groceries. There were no lines and everything went smoothly.
This afternoon, Ron, Hagen, Garland and I cleared the yard of anything that could be picked up and tossed through our rolling glass doors. All our flashlights have new batteries, we have piles of plastic tarps, rope, ducktape.
If the track of the storm remains as it is tonight, we will remove most of my studio to the main house tomorrow. Our fears are that with the high winds I may lose my roof, since it is only tin and insulation on the studio.
Our plan is tomorrow to move two of the cars to a concrete parking garage on a higher level. Hopefully we will be able to find a place to park them. Everyone may have the same idea.
A month or so ago, Ron purchased a generator, we have gas to keep it running. With Rita, we were without power for almost a week. At least this way we can keep our food cold.
The kids do not have school tomorrow. Ron's work is canceled. I feel too antsy to work.
Tonight at supper, we played a selection of storm songs, about high winds and flooding. Garland failed to find the humor in it, but she still recovering from her accident with the tree limb.
We are watching the approach of the storm on the net. Our TV is limited to what we can get with the rabbit ears, so it is only local coverage.
I am charging my camera batteries so tomorrow morning, I will go out, take some photos to post.

Tyrone Guthrie Center Annaghmakerrig

2008-07-24T10:27:00.001-05:00

Annaghmakerrig

Entry

My attic bedroom, so quiet one can hear one's heart beating.

Door to my studio

My studio before I started working

Dinner is at 7 every night around a large pine harvest table

after dinner- before our evening walk

down on the lake at 10 pm

New Indianapolis Airport Mosaic Installation overview

2008-06-22T18:23:00.001-05:00

CLICK ON AN IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION
I was not able to be in Indianapolis on Monday, June 9 when the installation started because my daughter was in the hospital. Butch arrived on Sunday night and Abraham and Casimero from Kolorines arrived early Monday morning.

Monday, June 9, the 1st day
Julia Moore,Public Art Administrator, Blackburn Architects, met the guys and showed them around. The team took the safety class, did the drug test, and received security badges. Butch rented the truck and picked up supplies. Julia was there making everything go as smoothly as possible. We are so lucky to have her on the project acting as a liaison between the airport and the artists.

Tuesday, June 10, the second day.
The guys protected the surrounding surfaces with plastic and paper. The mural arrived, some of the boxes were wet and had been stacked on end so there were some damaged areas. The guys laid the complete mural upside down in an adjacent room so we could see the image.

Wednesday, June 11, the 3rd day. First section was installed on the wall.

I arrived late Wednesday night.

Thursday, June 12, the 4th day

Friday, June 13, the 5th day. I do not know how I missed getting photos of the mural at the end of the 5th day. I was spending a lot of my day on my hands and knees replacing missing sections of mural It was fortunate that there was a room to leave the mural laid out so I could work on it.

Saturday, June 14th, the 6th day

Sunday, June 15, the 7th day

Monday, June 16, the 8th day

Tuesday, June 17, the 9th day

The airport gives tours of the construction site. One group was from the press and photos of the installation were in the local Indianapolis paper.
http://www2.indystar.com/autofocus/galleries/slides/2574/1 The mosaic images are #15, 16 and 17.

What a great construction site to do an installation. The building is beautifully designed by HOK and AeroDesign Group. Blackburn Architects supervised some of the design of public spaces. Hunt/Smoot Construction managers create a safe, clean and enjoyable working environment.

Wednesday, June 18, the 10th day.

The other hard hat trades working on the new airport stopped by with encouragement and comments. The hobby gardeners among them could name all the native plants. Some mentioned that it looked like early fall. Santarossa’s men who were installing a terrazzo floor helped us with disposal of waste water. Everyone was a pleasure to work with.

Thursday, June 19, the 11th day

The stack of the last section to go on the wall

The last section is installed, and total mural was acid washed

The installation team: Casimero, Abraham, DFG, Butch

Friday, June 20, the 12th day

Space clean, equipment returned, bags packed. TV crew from Channel 8 (?) came by for an interview.

Installation is completed. Ready to turn in our security pass badges.

The artisans at Kolorines, the fabrication studio, in Curenavaca Mexico did beautiful work.
I am pleased with Autumn Prairie Morning. I am honored that my work is part of the really cool airport.

Butch and I flew home on Saturday, June 21

Click here for details of the mural under public commisions on my web site.

New Indianapolis Airport Mosaic Mural part 2.

2008-06-18T08:20:00.001-05:00

Installation started on June 9th

Security checking us out on Sunday.

End of the 7th day.

Butch learning mosaics.

DFG and Dennis.

Julia and DFG.

Making Repairs

Alpha and Ted

End of the 9th day.

New Indianapolis Airport Mosaic Mural

2008-06-14T19:48:00.001-05:00

Installation started on June 9th

Start of fourth day

Dixie with layout

Butch in front of mural

Mural detail

Closer detail

End of 6th day

ANOTHER WALK IN THE GARDEN

2008-05-19T00:12:00.001-05:00

Walkway with Duranta and Allamanda

Allamanda, Parrot Lily, and Duranta

Sweet Memory Duranta (Duranta erecta) blooms

Shrub Allamanda (Allamanda schottii)

Red Passionvine (Passiflora vitifolia)

Dahlberg Daisy (Thymophylla tenuiloba) has foliage that smells somewhat like parsley

Geranium (Pelargonium spp.)

Four-o-clocks (Mirabilis jalapa) can be trained to bloom in the morning if they only get morning sun

Blue Shade Ruellia (Ruellia humilis)

Tangerine Bulbine (Bulbine frutescens) stalk

Golden Kaleidoscope Abutilon (Abutilon pictum)

Palm Grass (Curculigo capitulata) Blooms at the base of the plant

Bamboo Palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)

Canna (Canna spp.) bloom and seedpod

Bog Sage (Salvia uliginosa) is a unique salvia that likes wet feat

Blue Butterfly Clerodendrum (Clerodendrum ugandense)

Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)

Blue Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus africanus)

Angelwing Jasmine (Jasminum nitidum)

Hardy Calathea (Calathea louisae)

Giant Star Potato Tree (Solanum marcanthum) blooms start out dark purple then fade to white in a similar manner to Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (Brunfelsia latifolia)

Potato Shrub (Solanum spp.)

Bellyache Bush (Jatropha gossypifolia)

Buddha's Belly Jatropha (Jatropha podagrica)

Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis)

Marilyn's Choice Abutilon (Abutilon spp.)

Shell Ginger (Alpinia zerumbet)

Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

Desert Cassia/Senna (Senna polyphylla)

Soap Aloe (Aloe saponaria) buds

Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Annual Dianthus (Dianthus spp.)

Gladiola (Gladiolus spp.)

Shrubby Senna (Senna corymbosa)

Oleander (Nerium oleander)

Oxalis (Oxalis spp.)

Crococosmia (Crocosmia spp.)

Stiff Bottlebrush (Callistemon rigidus)

Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis)

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) with galls caused by the cypress twig gall midge (Taxodiomya cupressiananassa)

"Happy Orange" Geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum)

Pink Buttons (Polygonum capitatum)

Zebra False Aloe (Haworthia fasciata)

Mistletoe Cactus (Rhipsalis spp.)

Orchids

White Shrimp Plant (Justicia betonica)

Night Blooming Cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) with buds

Night Blooming Jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum)

Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spp.)

Goldfinger (Juanulloa aurantiaca) budding out

Dwarf Barbados Cherry (Malpighia punicifolia)

Purple Trailing Lantana (Lantana montevedensis)

Mexican Heather (Cuphea hyssopifolia)

Red Bleeding Heart Vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae)

Hall's Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)

Peperomia (Peperomia caperata)

"Silver Spot" Peacock Ginger (Kaempferia pulchra) just emerging from dormancy

Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii)

Steps leading down the bank

A future project

A WALK IN THE GARDEN

2008-05-17T16:29:00.001-05:00

Courtyard garden with Lee Littlefield sculpture.

February, March, April and May are glorious months in the garden. These photos were taken May 17, 2008. The cool weather has prolonged the blooming season. The fragrances are intoxicating. The Night Blooming Jasmine makes visitors euphoric.

Spicy Jatropha (Jatropha integerrima)

Coral vine (Antigonon leptopus)

Angel Trumpets (Brugmansia spp.) have a light fragrance in the evenings

Orchid

Ground orchid

Lipstick plant

Tropical pitcher plant (Nepenthes spp) in a hanging basket

Parrot Lily (Alstroemeria psittacin)

Ground covers, textures (Vinca major, Selaginella uncinata, Viola spp.)

Sparkler sedge, Chinese ground orchid (Carex phyllocephala, Bletilla striata)

Hardy Gloxinia (Sinningia sellovii)

Veronica (Veronica spicata) Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

Shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeana)

Miniature pipevine (Aristolochia fimbriata)

Bromeliads

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) going to seed

Golden globes (Lysimachia procumbens)

Buddy purple Gomphrena (Gomphrena globosa)

Fairy Duster (Calliandra eriophylla)

Easter lilies blooming under a Fairy Duster

Brazilian plume (Justicia carnea)

Amaryllis (Hippeastrum spp.)

Hollyhock (Alcea spp.)

Cockscomb (Celosia spp.)

Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.)

Macha (Felis catus "Siamese x Manx"), the garden guardian.

Splash plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) and tante sinningia (Sinningia spp.)

Tricolor Stromanthes (Stromante sanguinea) and holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum)

Lily-pad begonia (Begonia nelumbiifolia)

Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum)

A Sago's (Cycas revoluta) new growth

Bromeliad in foreground, redbird (Pedilanthus tithymaloides) in background

Bicolor African iris (Dietes bicolor)

Crinum lily (Crinum spp.) seedpods

Bleeding heart vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae)

Purple shrimp plant (Porphyrocoma pohliana)

Raven peacock ginger (Kaempferia rotunda) blooms before it leafs out

American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

What's Happening in the Studio

2008-05-14T11:00:00.001-05:00

Here are some studio shots today. Since 1/08, I have been working on 42"x 60" landscape paintings. Lilith is always with me.

West wall. 12" x 12" works on wood. The work on the floor is also on wood, but address issues more personal, my relationship with my daughter. The cutout works at the top are samples that I did for the Miami Port project.