STORY BEHIND THE ART OF LUCY MARTIN

21st Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at Wave Hill

Valley Oak with Oak Galls and Lichen

Quercus lobata

One of the things I love about living in Sonoma County is the variety of beautiful species of oaks. Many of these Valley Oaks are festooned with clusters of oak galls, like this one.

Oak galls have an interesting origin: the parasitic wasp lays her egg in the bark. The developing larvae secretes chemicals which induce the tree to create the gall, which provides food and protection for the larvae. The tree is not harmed.

There are many types of oak galls. I’m especially fond of the variety shown on this Valley Oak (Quercus lobata). They’re large—looking almost like some peculiar fruit. But they are hard on the outside, and amazingly diverse in shape, color, pattern and size: anywhere from one to four inches in diameter. In winter they remain on the tree for months, when all the leaves are gone and the wasps have long departed.

I always look for subjects to paint that are a bit strange in some way—oddities, things that are often overlooked, or very tiny, or have grown in some unexpected way. I love to paint lichens, which make me feel I’m discovering a whole little world on a tree branch.

I paint in gouache and watercolor, which allows me through the use of many opaque and transparent layers to create a sense of depth and density.

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Read more about this artist’s work: America's Flora