Renewed interest in the Earth’s microcosm flowed naturally from months of painting the denizens of the Milky Way.

Finding myself physically and mentally exhausted by large-scale projects, I sought advice from a trusted mentor who suggested taking an opposite approach:
“Choose one small object only,” he said.
“And make it my universe?”, I objected, “Not my style.”

Grudgingly, I began. One parrot tulip on a canvas smaller than anything I’d worked on in years. Blossom followed blossom, varied occasionally by a bird. Each tiny subject contained a world of information to be captured by my brush.

Now I understood what intrigued the Dutch Masters of the 17th Century!