Brown-Eyed Susans // Works on Paper

July 03, 2025

I returned to painting my 'Brown-Eyed Susans' to welcome the start of summer. There's something about working on paper, at this smaller scale, that invites a kind of closeness—each mark more detailed, more tender. It feels like standing still for a moment, just long enough to really see them.


The first time I painted these flowers, I was standing by the pool, playing hooky with a dear friend. I had told myself I should be in the studio, but I wanted the sun more. So to soothe that familiar feeling of not “doing enough,” I grabbed a collection of pastels and drew my first Brown-Eyed Susan. It was simple, joyful, just for me. 

 

There’s something about these cheerful little flowers, always turning their faces to the sun. They feel like the beginning of summer—bare feet on warm concrete, the first real heat, that craving for crisp watermelon by the pool.

 

There are still a few original works on paper available from my 'Brown-Eyed Susans' series. These smaller pieces hold such quiet detail—each one a little reflection of summer’s beginning, rooted in the fleeting beauty of the everyday.

previous