STORY BEHIND THE ART OF Maryna Stasyuk

25th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists and Wave Hill

Fragile Maple Samara

Acer sp.

If you haven't been to the Prague Botanical Gardens yet, then let me tell you about the wonderful and diverse the selection of trees and plants there. Come with me for a stroll through the Japanese garden, then walk down the scenic path to the Mediterranean section. A beautiful maple tree grows right here at the turn. It is a Tatarian maple tree (Acer tataricum), native to western Asia.

Its fruits change color from bright green in spring to pink-green in summer to burgundy-purple in autumn, finally turning semi-transparent and very fragile towards winter. I can never simply walk past this tree without admiring it. It inspired me to create this painting of one of its samaras. It is my attempt to capture and highlight the fragile and intricate beauty around us that we should appreciate more.

I created my work in watercolor. To achieve the illusion of translucency in the wings of the samara, I started to build its shape by applying just one color in dry brush layering. Then I put down watercolor washes, allowing each layer to dry completely, before applying more shading and detailing with a small brush. 

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