All my Plants are Dead

I was promised it was nearly impossible to kill a succulent

I’m not a natural nurturer. I’m now aware that a pothos plant is the only kind I can keep alive, but for years I tried to fill my home with all sorts of greenery. One by one they shriveled into dusty stalks and I held onto their corpses like they were urns in a crematorium. I had a quick thought about all the ghosts of my dead plants quietly haunting my apartment- and I painted them.

March of 2026, I saw an open-call for a flower themed group show and I thought ghost flowers would be an interesting twist. I created a quick blurb about lingering memory- and I really like this interpretation- but to be so deeply honest, I’ve been drawing dead flowers and their ghosts for such a long time and just wanted to try a more flushed out painting. This painting is actually inspired by my poor gardening skills, but I’m glad I could give it more substance.

“Dearly Departed”

Gouache, 11” x 14”

2026