Penny Otto

A blog by artist Penny Otto

A Bird in the Bush 950mm x740mm acrylic on cardboard

The Alchemy of the Bush 870mm x700mm acrylic on backing board

Glorious, beautiful, creative gardening exists in steep Freemans Bay where there is no flooding in its particular corner of Auckland. Foliage off the trees has been allowed to lie underneath enriching the soil as the leaves and branches rot down. It is a springy experience to walk upon this spongy surface!

Even after downpours water has been soaked up. Visually the results are stunning as new plants emerge growing rapidly in the fertile soil, while the canopy above flourishes and is alive with birds.

As a guest of the St Heliers Gardening Club I promised Mark van Kaathoven that I had a mental camera and subsequently emailed him paintings of his garden, “The Alchemy of the Bush” (pictured above). I can report that it was graciously received! This painting was created the day after our garden tour – the faster I work the better the result!

“A Bird in the Bush….” was executed equally fast, a few days later. Which now makes a pair.