Growing up in New Orleans, philodendrons were always around, especially at my grandparents' house, and they often felt like quiet protectors in the yard where we played. When I eventually bought my own home, they were the first plants I put in my garden. This piece comes from close-up photos I took of these familiar 'friends,' acknowledging their consistent presence in my life.
This composition is dominated by one particularly prominent leaf. Its captivating shape and presence position it like the subject of a portrait, occupying a significant portion of the foreground while surrounded by its compatriots. Their prominent stems radiate out like a starburst, drawing your eye into the frame. While a hint of a second terra cotta pot is visible in the background, the true emphasis here is on the intimacy and compelling forms of this plant.
The leaves are rendered in a palette of muted, natural greens, highlighted by a single saturated, chartreuse green that makes the forms in the foreground really pop and defines the overall tone. I layered these with darker shades to create depth and visual separation among the shapes. My aim was to celebrate this plant's singular beauty, revealing how a focused perspective, even on a smaller canvas, can powerfully convey both serenity and vitality.
