abstract Collection

Mary’s Garden

Painted in October 2021 from a makeshift porch studio in West Jefferson, NC, this series of abstract paintings honors the life and creativity of dear friend and neighbor, Mary Wiggins. Mary tended to her garden like she did her people, with optimism, love, and lack of judgement. She was a whiz at rooting lush new beauty from her collection of clippings, and coaxing new life into scrappy plants others might disregard. Mary’s garden has been in quiet hibernation since she passed away October 16, 2021, but is starting to show evidence of the love she planted here with us in her 85 years.

Attempting to capture the wild, abundant life of her garden and processing the emotions of her final days, these abstract oil paintings incorporate hand-made pigment ground from the soil of Mary’s flower beds, and utilized some non-traditional tools, a nod to her thrift and resourcefulness.