Flowers of Japan is a three-part watercolor triptych inspired by quiet moments and fleeting beauty encountered during my travels through Japan. Painted from photographs I captured in Kyoto, Tokyo, and surrounding gardens, this series reflects a deep reverence for nature, memory, and the gentle poetry found in stillness.
Each painting in the triptych represents not only a distinct bloom, but a feeling—an emotional imprint left by Japan’s gardens, temples, and landscapes. Together, the works explore themes of impermanence, renewal, and spiritual calm, echoing the Japanese aesthetic of mono no aware: an awareness of the beauty inherent in transience.
Flowers of Japan is a meditative reflection on travel, stillness, and the fleeting beauty found in nature’s quiet corners. Painting this triptych allowed me to relive the awe I felt in Japan’s gardens and hidden spaces—each bloom telling a story of place, season, and serenity.
Part 1: Reverie: Sacred Lotus
Watercolor on paper– 6” x 8”
Painted from a photograph I captured in Kyoto, this sacred lotus felt like a quiet miracle blooming in the chaos of summer. I tried to express not just the flower, but the vibrant, meditative energy that surrounded it—alive with dew, spirit, and memory.
The sacred lotus holds deep cultural and spiritual meaning in Japan, symbolizing purity, resilience, and enlightenment. Rooted in Buddhist tradition, it represents the soul’s journey—rising unstained from murky waters into full bloom, much like the path to spiritual awakening. Commonly found in temple ponds and Zen gardens, the lotus also reflects the Japanese aesthetic of “mono no aware”—a gentle reverence for the impermanence and beauty of life. Blooming in the height of summer, it is both a seasonal icon and a timeless emblem of hope, renewal, and serenity in Japanese art and poetry.
Part 2: Memories of Crape Myrtle
Watercolor and gouache on paper - 6”x 8”
Painted from a photo taken during a quiet moment in a Japanese garden, the piece captures the vivid burst of the crape myrtle flower—its maroon petals and golden filaments glowing against a lush green backdrop.
Blending realism with abstraction, the painting evokes not only the flower itself, but the feeling of being there—surrounded by filtered sunlight, layered leaves, and the soft hush of temple grounds. It’s both a study of botanical beauty and an emotional impression of place, memory, and transience.
Part 3: Whispers of Kyoto
Watercolor on paper - 6” x 8”
A watercolor piece inspired by a photograph I took during my trip to Japan. These delicate clusters of Lantana flowers, painted in soft pinks, creamy whites, and bursts of golden yellow, transported me back to the lush gardens I wandered through.
Japan left a mark on me — its reverence for nature, its subtle elegance, the quiet poetry in its landscapes.
Flowers of Japan is a three-part watercolor triptych inspired by quiet moments and fleeting beauty encountered during my travels through Japan. Painted from photographs I captured in Kyoto, Tokyo, and surrounding gardens, this series reflects a deep reverence for nature, memory, and the gentle poetry found in stillness.
Each painting in the triptych represents not only a distinct bloom, but a feeling—an emotional imprint left by Japan’s gardens, temples, and landscapes. Together, the works explore themes of impermanence, renewal, and spiritual calm, echoing the Japanese aesthetic of mono no aware: an awareness of the beauty inherent in transience.
Flowers of Japan is a meditative reflection on travel, stillness, and the fleeting beauty found in nature’s quiet corners. Painting this triptych allowed me to relive the awe I felt in Japan’s gardens and hidden spaces—each bloom telling a story of place, season, and serenity.
Part 1: Reverie: Sacred Lotus
Watercolor on paper– 6” x 8”
Painted from a photograph I captured in Kyoto, this sacred lotus felt like a quiet miracle blooming in the chaos of summer. I tried to express not just the flower, but the vibrant, meditative energy that surrounded it—alive with dew, spirit, and memory.
The sacred lotus holds deep cultural and spiritual meaning in Japan, symbolizing purity, resilience, and enlightenment. Rooted in Buddhist tradition, it represents the soul’s journey—rising unstained from murky waters into full bloom, much like the path to spiritual awakening. Commonly found in temple ponds and Zen gardens, the lotus also reflects the Japanese aesthetic of “mono no aware”—a gentle reverence for the impermanence and beauty of life. Blooming in the height of summer, it is both a seasonal icon and a timeless emblem of hope, renewal, and serenity in Japanese art and poetry.
Part 2: Memories of Crape Myrtle
Watercolor and gouache on paper - 6”x 8”
Painted from a photo taken during a quiet moment in a Japanese garden, the piece captures the vivid burst of the crape myrtle flower—its maroon petals and golden filaments glowing against a lush green backdrop.
Blending realism with abstraction, the painting evokes not only the flower itself, but the feeling of being there—surrounded by filtered sunlight, layered leaves, and the soft hush of temple grounds. It’s both a study of botanical beauty and an emotional impression of place, memory, and transience.
Part 3: Whispers of Kyoto
Watercolor on paper - 6” x 8”
A watercolor piece inspired by a photograph I took during my trip to Japan. These delicate clusters of Lantana flowers, painted in soft pinks, creamy whites, and bursts of golden yellow, transported me back to the lush gardens I wandered through.
Japan left a mark on me — its reverence for nature, its subtle elegance, the quiet poetry in its landscapes.
