American Beautyberry

I am proud to share this week’s painting of an American Beautyberry. First reason? I’m not a gardener and yet this beautiful plant is thriving here, drought and all. Stay tuned for more reasons, gentle reader.

But first, if you are new here and seeking weekly, colorful paintings in your world (and why not, right?), you can sign up here.

Onward to take a look at this week’s painting.

Origin Story

Flash back two or three years ago when I ordered this plant from a small, local nursery called “Field to Cottage.” I knew exactly where I wanted to plant it. The biggest conundrum? Wabbits. Ever since the pandemic, we have had all kinds of rabbits, big and small, in our yard.

I decided to protect my new plant with tightly meshed fencing. Whew! Made it through that winter. The following year, we were away for weeks and weeks in our little camper. Imagine my delight when my next door neighbor texted me about the beautiful berries on my new plant!

This year there has been another threat to our garden. It has virtually taken over so many other plants in our front garden including cone flowers, a beautiful, small, native bleeding heart plant and more. The culprit? Bamboo.

Thankfully, my better half ordered a mighty shovel called “The King of Spades” and started digging. And digging x hours and hours.

Latest American Beautyberry News

Here we are in September and whew it has been hot and dry for months! And, while we recognize that operation “remove bamboo” is a long term management project, the drought has helped us here.

Our American Beautyberry has thrived in the midst of the drought. We got home from our recent road trip north and this beautiful plant is covered in berries again. So, this week’s painting is a tribute to this beautiful, hardy and easy to care for plant in our garden.

It’s an 8×8 inch gouache painting on archival paper. Yes you can see some of my drawing in ink in this painting, too. And, I’ll share where you can see it in person soon. Meantime, here it is. I love the lively, whimsical feel of this one.

If you think you might want an American Beautyberry or other hardy native plant for your garden, good news! Field to Cottage Nursery is taking orders now. NOTE: this is not a traditional garden center! It’s a 1-2 person place that sells plants online and then gives you clear info about where you can pick up your plants here in the Raleigh, Cary, Durham, NC area. Here’s the FAQ page from their website to help you know more before you place your order.

More Painting News and a Studio Picture

I’m in the midst of painting several large paintings for a group show I’m in with Julia Einstein, Dawn Marie Rozzo and poet, Alison Hurwitz. The show also includes two emerging artists: Perla Gerez Hernandez and Ashley Holloman. Please mark your calendars for the show entitled,
“Engage: Art + Nature + Poetry” which opens on Saturday, November 7, 2026.

Where? The show will be at Visual Art Exchange’s hub, also known as The Jobe House 909 W. Morgan Street in downtown Raleigh, NC

From 2:00PM to 5:00PM that day, there will be artist talks, poetry readings about each of our paintings and even a tactile piece that visitors can touch. I am so excited to be a part of this creative, multi-sensory experience.

Here’s the announcement about the show! It would be fantastic to see you there.

How Are You

What’s happening in your world, gentle reader? Are you a fan of native plants in your area? Have you had good results with them? Or have you had less favorable experiences? Either way, I would love to hear from you. Please share in the comments below.