Arms of Creation

Upon my arrival in Beverly Hills in November of 2019, I realized that my knowledge of the city was limited to its worldwide reputation as a hub of extreme wealth. After spending a week settling in and discovering a few cozy coffee shops where I could work, I finally made my way to the local Beverly Gardens Park. Stretching across a significant portion of the city, this park acts as a lush green divide between the residential and commercial areas. One particular sight that stood out was a majestic tree, located right in the heart of the park, between Beverly and Rodeo Drive. It seemed to be an iconic symbol of Beverly Hills, likely standing tall since the park’s establishment in 1911. Its colossal size reminded me of the legendary figure Paul Bunyan, and the tree’s organic beauty left a lasting impression on me.

Given my passion for art, I decided to infuse elements of Maxfield Parrish’s painting style into the color palette of my image for the “plant portraits” series. I drew significant inspiration from his painting titled “Old White Birch” (1937), incorporating similar aesthetic choices into my own work.