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Viburnum Opulus is part of a series of paintings that draw on the visual language of Art Nouveau and early twentieth-century poster design. In these works, trees and plants take on the compositional role often given to figures in artists such as Alphonse Mucha. i.e I paint trees, and Mucha women (usually). The snowball tree’s spherical blooms provide a natural geometry that lends itself to repetition and rhythm. Curving stems and branching lines echo the sinuous forms associated with Art Nouveau, while the inclusion of the Latin name references botanical plates and vintage printed matter.
The snowball tree is a part of my garden, and being new to the property, I again thought it was something entirely different until spring. The text on the painting reads: “You were unremarkable until you grew the green pompoms which turned fluffy white before dropping petals that fell like snow”.
