Paintings & Stories: 13. Resurrection of Prairie Crabapple

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                                   Prairie Crabapple or Iowa Crabapple, Malus ioensis, Watercolor ©Heeyoung Kim
I have been working with this painting for long. I have observed it through the full cycle from winter naked branches, new sprouts and buds, blossoms, and apples. And I chose buds and full blooms to give strong contrast to the dead tree trunks. 

Why dead trunks? Well, the purpose of this painting is to show how this native Crabapple  has been neglected in most areas, maybe because people believe other colorful  hybrids are more attractive. This specific tree was almost dead overshadowed by nonnative, invasive trees. When my plant scout took care of its surroundings by cutting the invasive trees, and let more sun shine on this beauty, it has slowly revived. New branches started to grow from the almost dead looking trunk. 


This painting is my tribute to this beautiful tree and the beautiful person who has taken care of it for many years only from concerns on nature. 

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