Cactus paddles on the prickly pear fan out, float, bend and reach. In this piece, I reinterpreted the colors and textures that I saw on sculptural paddles with acrylic paints—heavy body to fluid, découpaged photographic textures and mark-making with oil pastels and Posca acrylic pens. Through this layering, photographic textures dissolve into the composition, creating a dialogue between painting and photography, abstraction and realism. By combining what’s familiar with what feels dreamlike, we can experience the cactus beyond its recognizable form.