Magnolias have become treasured features in my garden, and their appearance is one of the first announcements of spring. Their beauty is both profound and fleeting, appearing once in a season before it slips away. The flower inspiring this piece opened on a young plant in our yard, one that has bloomed only once. I photographed its flowers then, not knowing it might be years before I would see them again. It still lives, and to this day I wait for them to return hoping that maybe, one day, it will bloom again.
This watercolour focuses on that single bloom and its surrounding buds, presented with quiet clarity and without embellishment. The background is divided into washes inspired by the colours of a summer peach, equally fleeting. This simple structure creates a luminous setting that highlights the magnolia’s rich purples and delicate form.
The painting is a reminder that beauty often arrives in brief, singular moments. Whether it suggests resilience, timing, or the quiet pleasure of noticing something at exactly the right time, it reflects the quiet power of experiencing beauty in its briefest form. Sometimes a moment appears only once and holding it a little longer is enough.