Story behind the art of Sharon Duplantis

28th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists and Marin Art & Garden Center

The Understory

Licuala grandis

I usually choose my botanical painting subjects by deciding on a plant and then seeking it out. But on a visit to Sarasota’s Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, this lovely plant chose me. I had come to the gardens to see the orchids. But when I encountered this beautiful little palm, fronds tilted at a jaunty angle, it stopped me in my tracks. This was Licuala grandis, the ruffled fan palm: a small (up to 10 feet tall), slow growing palm tree native to lowland rainforests of the Soloman Islands and Vanuatu in the South Pacific. The palm grows in the understory of primary and secondary tropical rainforests and has unique pleated, circular leaves.

When I reviewed the photos I took, I realized what intrigued me most about this plant were the contrasts - the bright light reflected off the linear fronds, in contrast to the darkness underneath, where the trunk was so fibrous, organic, and wild. Generally, I paint botanical subjects on a white background, but in this case I felt white space would be a distraction. To convey the drama and mystery of this plant, I chose to juxtapose the bright, angular structure of the fronds above, with the dark, disorderly tangle below, excluding any negative space.

My main challenge with this painting was all those straight lines in the fronds. Drawing them was easy enough (although time consuming) using a ruler. But I worried about how I would apply paint in a straight line. This was key - any wobbles would have ruined the effect. I experimented with dragging a brush adjacent to a ruler (paint bled through), then tried using tape (so time consuming). Finally, I decided to use a quarter inch stiff angled brush and free handed it. This was less difficult than I thought it would be. The angled brush proved easier to hold straight than a round brush.

Living in Florida surrounded by palms, I have always been fascinated by them. I especially love the star shaped fronds of Sabal minor, which grows in my yard. I needed a rest from all those lines after painting Licuala grandis but then had the urge to pick up my angled brush again and was soon tackling a Sabal palm frond painting.

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Read more about this artist's work:26th Annual