Achmea Caracas, 2008, Watercolor & Archival Digital Print on Paper, 43 x 28.5 inches. This protea is native to sub tropical regions. Linnaeus named the genus after the Greek god Proteus, because he could assume many forms. In some cultures the flower represents hope and change. Here the two entwined stalks are backed by a digital photo of the habitat where they grow at the edge of the beach, balancing between an ideal and a devastating environment.

Orpheus’ Orchid, 2011, Watercolor & Archival Digital Print on Paper, 47 x 36 inches An unfettered orchid floats in the space of a glass house lit from the upper right, leaving the area below deep in shadows. The composition was influenced by the myth of Orpheus, who went to the underworld seeking to release his wife's from the dead through his musical talent. He lost her irrevocably by failing to obey Hades condition that he must not look back to see if she was following until they had reached the world of the light.

Three Days, 2005 Watercolor, 42.25”x 27.5” The buds and seedpods partially hidden behind the stalk of the brilliant blossom of the bottlebrush, Callistemon, reminding us of where it came from and what it will become. The title of this painting comes from Willie Nelson ”...the three days I dream of you, yesterday, today and tomorrow. “

Esperanza de Pandora, 2006 Watercolor & Archival Ink Jet Print on Paper, 22” x 29.5” The myth of Pandora recounts that one item, hope, was left inside when she slammed shut the lid of the vessel containing the evils of the world. In this painting we see the colorful forms of the rockweed escaping the dark grasses swirling at its roots.

Spirit Stone, 2014-2015, Watercolor, pencil, archival ink jet print on paper, 41” x 27” In many ancient and contemporary cultures stones are embodied with tangible or ephemeral meaning. I observed rocks similar to this image at the Wiamea Botanical Garden on Oahu where a ring of stones had been assembled by early Polynesians to ensure successful growing and fishing.

Balance of Chance, 2008, Watercolor on paper, 30” x 22” This painting is from a series of similarly balance stacks of rocks describe by Sedat Pakay as “a tour of "Mending Walls", "Something there is that doesn’t love a wall…" comes to mind. Each stone has it’s own individual beauty while together they are functional, yet mutable structures. The history of cairns, stones used as ballast, mile and tomb markers are also recalled. Utilitarian uses with metaphoric meanings.