STORY BEHIND THE ART OF JUDITH SCILLIA

Wildly Exquisite: Florida’s Native Plants

Seagrape

Coccoloba uvifera

Seagrape, Coccoloba uvifea, is a species of flowering plant native to coastal beaches throughout tropical America and also Florida that is often used as an ornamental tree, a privacy shrub and a dune stabilizer. In late spring it begins bearing very tasty fruit that can be made into jelly and wine. Its paddle shaped leaves are thick and leathery with raised magenta and yellow veins. The leaves change color as they mature from yellow green to blue green, from red to gold and brown.

I often complete a drawing during my winter stay in Florida. This past spring, while isolating during the COVID-19 lockdown near Manasota Key, I started looking for a specimen close to my house, and this bright cluster of seagrape leaves with its stem of tiny budding grapes caught my eye. Fabulous! Close AND colorful!

My light to dark colored pencil rendering technique uses many thin layers applied in small, even, overlapping circles. I will lift areas with frisket paper to adjust color or value and when satisfied, I will often burnish and blend to create a smoother finished texture. As I slowly worked from leaf to leaf, I realized that I had utilized every color on the color wheel!

This vivid little drawing kept me happily engaged and calm during a very worrisome time. Its cheerful palette reminds me of sunshine and warmth. I used it as the illustration of my 2020 holiday card and I am delighted to have it included in the Wildly Exquisite exhibition of Florida’s native plants.

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