Under Cover (Original Miniature)

Medieval style miniature portrait of a poisonous frog at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens

10 x 10 x 1 in, framed; actual painting is 4.5 x 4.5 in

This is my only miniature to date in which the subject is depicted at close to life size. Even my butterflies are smaller than their real counterparts. This tiny frog is part of a permanent exhibit of poisonous frogs that I visit on my frequent trips to ABG’s Fuqua Conservatory. His intensely vivid greens were a delightful challenge to create, as was the moss. The surrounding leaves, like in the rest of my miniatures, contrast the realism of the animal with the fanciful nature of the foliage. In this case, they are more realistically inspired by the aspidistra leaves surrounding my backyard fishpond with its own, much larger frogs. This juxtaposition of reality and imagination allows me to illuminate marvelous creatures in the most unexpected places!