Emerald After Dark

Olive Green & Cobalt | Fern Varieties | Hand-Painted Gold Stars

Rich shades of olive green, moss, and muted sage blend with deep cobalt and indigo, creating an unusual color palette that sets this piece apart from my traditional blue cyanotypes. Graceful fern fronds stretch across the composition, from broad, arching leaves to delicate, feathery varieties, while smaller oak and ginkgo leaves add contrast between the different botanical shapes.

I wanted to capture the feeling of sitting deep within a forest at night, looking up through the trees at a sky filled with stars. The large fern fronds almost resemble the silhouettes of towering pine trees, creating the illusion of a forest canopy reaching toward the night sky. Sweeping, hand-coated brushstrokes move through the background, adding depth and beautiful variations between the greens and blues.

To bring that nighttime feeling to life, I carefully hand-painted tiny gold stars throughout the composition. These little details catch the light against the darker background, creating the magical feeling of stargazing beneath the trees. It's a playful interpretation of nature, where delicate ferns become an entire forest, and the smallest touches of gold bring the night sky to life.