Saguaro

This was my first painting, begun in 2019 just as COVID was hitting the news.

The painting depicts a familiar scene of the Catalina Mountains at sunset, with a majestic Saguaro cactus silhouetted against the vibrant sky. Beyond this visible beauty, the artwork hints at a hidden wonder: the symbiotic relationship between the saguaro's roots and the mycelium of fungi. This underground network connects plants, facilitating the sharing of essential resources like water, carbon, nitrogen, and other minerals.

The painting features an African Sun Conure in the foreground, a beloved pet who passed away during the artwork's creation. The bird's farewell wave adds a poignant touch to the scene.