Story behind the art of Robin Jess

Botanical Art Worldwide 2025-A More Abundant Future:

Diversity in Garden, Farm, and Field

American Society of Botanical Artists at the Foundry Art Centre, St. Charles, MO

King of the Garden Lima Bean

Phaseolus lunatus

I grew up in the farmlands of southern New Jersey in the 1950s and 1960s. We were surrounded with corn, asparagus, peaches, apples, peppers, eggplants, patty pan squash, and of course, the famous Jersey tomatoes. But what we looked forward to every September was when the pole lima bean crops came in. My mother had her favorite growers, and she would begin to call around until we got the word that one was picking today. We generally got a basket to start, and my Dad and I spent the afternoon splitting the velvety pods, smelling the fresh, green scent as they opened with a slight spritz. As we shelled the pods, which might contain anywhere from one to six beans, we separated the beans into two grades. The small beans were prized to be stars of the dinner table or simmered with fresh corn and butter to become succotash. There was a very short time when you could get both local corn and lima beans. The larger beans would be included in vegetable soups throughout the winter. After shelling, the beans were quickly blanched and put into the freezer. During the rest of the harvest season, we would get enough for meals as needed. We never allowed them to get large and dry. The small frozen ones were enjoyed on special occasions including Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Further south and east, in Cape May County, where I live now, several big farming concerns exclusively grew lima beans, which they sold to large national distributors. It was such a large crop that an annual Lima Bean Festival was held in West Cape May. When the distributors abruptly decided to buy only from California, our lima bean farmers were basically wiped out. There is still a lima bean festival, but the emphasis is no longer so much on the beans.

For this painting, I grew ‘King of the Garden’ lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus), which have been in US agricultural production since Frank S. Platt of Connecticut introduced them in 1883. They are of the “pole” type, that is with an upright climbing habit that grows up to 10 feet on poles and across support wires rather than in a low bush form. I allowed the vines to loop a bit as I liked the look.

I spent a good deal of time on my composition and then completed the painting in Winsor & Newton watercolor with Winsor & Newton and Interlon brushes on Arches 140 lb. hot press paper.

And the moral of the story is that, as expected, the lima beans were delicate and delicious.

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Read more about this artist's work: Wildly Exquisite