Deetjen’s Rose
This is a rose I spotted in the garden at Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn in Big Sur, CA. It was one of the most perfect roses that I had ever seen. It had a fiery orange center that would glow bright yellow with sunlight in the middle of the petal and then the color flowed delicately into silky pale pink petals. It was perfect.
While I was studying this specimen of natural perfection I noticed on the bottom left petal some hungry caterpillar took a big huge bite. The thought did cross my mind to paint back in that caterpillar’s lunch (as if I was editing the cover of Cosmo), but I decided to leave it in because it reminds me of the japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi. It’s the idea that all beauty is impermanent, imperfect and incomplete. It also recognizes that beauty is enhanced by the natural signs of wear stemming from the life of the object itself.
I wanted to capture this rose at the peak of its beauty. On the day one lucky caterpillar got to eat one of the most beautiful flowers I’ve ever seen for lunch.
12″w x 12″h Oil Painting on gallery wrapped canvas – $250
Click here to purchase on Etsy
