Garden Hours: Daylight vs. Dusk
Daylight and Enchanted original oil paintings 9”x12”
Daylight ladybug detail of original oil painting
Enchanted bumblebee detail of original oil painting
Exploring the magic of pollinators, blooms, and light through art and garden life
There’s something quietly sacred about the way a garden shifts throughout the day. If you spend enough time among the flowers, you begin to notice it. Not just the movement of the sun, but a full change of cast. The butterflies rise with the morning light. Bees go about their business in the golden hours. And as dusk settles in, there’s a hush, broken only by the hum of twilight insects and the slow unfurling of night-blooming flowers.
Daylight and Enchanted fine art prints on paper 9”x12” - an affordable way to collect
This daily rhythm inspired my newest paintings, Daylight and Enchanted, a pair of original mixed media oil works that celebrate the opposing yet complementary moods of a garden in motion. They’re part of a surprise art drop, and both will be available via eBay auction starting at 10am (MT) on August 9th.
Daylight original oil painting with deckled edges
Morning Light: Foxglove & Butterflies
In the soft quiet of the morning, there’s a sense of promise. Sunlight filters through dew-covered leaves, and pollinators awaken like clockwork. Daylight, the first painting in this pairing, captures that fresh, hopeful moment, featuring a vibrant butterfly, a bright ladybug, and blooming white foxglove.
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), with its tall, spire-like clusters, has a long history in cottage gardens not just for its beauty, but for its rich folklore and medicinal uses (be cautious, it's also toxic). Its bell-shaped blooms call to bees and butterflies alike, and in the early hours, you’ll often find wings flickering through their trumpet-like petals.
Daylight framed fine art print 8”x10”
Butterflies are drawn to light and color, making midday their prime time. In many cultures, they symbolize transformation, lightness, and the soul. This fantasy butterfly’s delicate presence in Daylight is both joyful and fleeting, a reminder to cherish the present moment, especially in the garden.
Enchanted original oil painting with deckled edges
Dusk Blooms: Datura & Humming Bees
As the sun dips and shadows stretch across the garden, a different kind of magic takes hold. In Enchanted, a rich, dreamlike palette of oil, acrylic, and ink brings to life a twilight world filled with blooming white datura, fluffy bumblebees, and a glowing butterfly caught in the last light of day.
Datura, also known as moonflower or devil’s trumpet, is a night-blooming beauty. Its large, trumpet-like flowers open in the evening, exhaling a heady fragrance that draws nocturnal pollinators such as moths and hawk moths. It’s a plant steeped in myth and mystery—associated with witches, dreamers, and seekers in many cultures.
Enchanted framed fine art print 8”x10”
Bees may not be known as nighttime pollinators, but certain species like the humble bumblebee are surprisingly active into twilight. Their presence in Enchanted bridges the light and the dark, carrying the energy of the day into the hush of night.
Limited edition fine art prints on canvas, numbered and signed
A Garden in Two Acts
Unlike much of my work, which is grounded in detailed reference materials and a commitment to realism, Daylight and Enchanted were created in a spirit of spontaneity and play. These paintings were pure intuition. An exploration of color, light, and form guided more by feeling than by reference. I let the palette lead me, painting from the memory of how the garden feels at dawn and dusk rather than how it looks. The result is something a little looser, more fantastical, and deeply personal. It felt like stepping into a dream and I hope you feel that when you see them.
Daylight and Enchanted were created as visual complements for those who see their gardens not just as places, but as ever-changing stories. Together, they offer a full sensory portrait of a day spent in the company of flowers, insects, and shifting light.
Rendered in glowing oil, layered acrylic, and detailed ink, both paintings are rich in texture, vibrant in color, and laced with whimsy. Whether you're a gardener, a butterfly lover, or simply someone who feels most alive when surrounded by nature’s small miracles, these paintings are made for you.
A Special Opportunity to Collect
The original oil paintings of both Daylight and Enchanted will be available in a special surprise auction on eBay, beginning at 10am MT on August 9th. This is a rare chance to collect original artwork directly, and perhaps even bring both into your home as a set—a celebration of morning and evening, bloom and fade, movement and stillness.
If you'd like a reminder when the auction goes live, be sure to join my mailing list for a direct link and first access.
Thank you for walking through the garden with me. May your days be full of light, your evenings full of peace, and your shelves full of art that reflects the world you love.
