I had the great good fortune of staying at Barbara Rogers‘ home in Tucson for a whole month. Not only is she a warm and lively host and an accomplished artist, she’s also an attentive gardener. Gardens have been a central theme in her work for many years, and she’s traveled the world to collect images, specimens and memories. Her home garden of cacti and succulents is mature and diverse, and my stay with her was both nurturing and energizing. I captured about a thousand images from that visit…and I’ve been back to Tucson a few times since to add to my references.
These three paintings are from her garden. In the first two, my goal was to capture the light: subtle and ethereal in Agave Americana, bold and brilliant in Flowering Agave. Barbara spotlighted her garden at night, presenting another fun challenge to paint.
Sue Batchelder 