Sometimes, especially in West Texas, the boldest bloom appears in the most unlikely of places. “Growing Solo” is my tribute to that stubborn, show-off spirit that (sort of) tamed the wild borderlands of the Rio Grande.

One morning, hiking in the Davis Mountains --high, rugged terrain where the wind gossips relentlessly and the sun doesn’t pull any punches-- I stopped to rest on a boulder, but not before checking to make sure I wouldn't be reclining with any creepy crawlies. No spiders or snakes. But I did spot this small red cactus flower—just the one living thing surrounded by rock. A cactus seed had somehow found enough dust in a crevice to sprout, and enough stamina and determination to blossom in the reddest of reds. All by its lonesome. My painting shares that moment of beautiful, independent audacity.

What I love most about this one? This painting says beauty doesn’t wait for perfect conditions. It shows up, digs in, then  dares to bloom. Hang “Growing Solo” where you need a little courage, a little color, or just a nudge to keep going when the world feels rocky. (This cactus won’t prick your finger when you hang it, and layers of archival varnish make the painting equally hardy, protectively sealed without the need for framing it under glass. (Who wants glare between you and a vibrant wild thing?)

In composing this, I placed the flower to catch your eyes and bring you into the painting, then used color and line in the rocks to lead you through it. The scarlet petals sang out from the patinaed, conglomerate boulder, so I made the rock a player, rather than simply a background. (After all, the rock sheltered the cactus and deserves a starring role here.) I used a complexity of transparent glazes of color to add sunbeams, and lovingly added a wealth of fine detail. After a while, I no longer referred to my photo. Decades in Far West Texas make these rocks and blooms familiar as family.

Ready to bring a bit of Texas resilience—and a dash of wild joy—into your home? This painting is waiting to feed your spirit and brighten your walls.

Trappings of Texas 2025