I created this studio painting as the lilac trees were in bloom this spring (2020). Lilac season in the Northeast is an intoxicating time. My friends down south say they do not see many, as Lilacs prefer the cold winters that we have, though there are varieties that will grow in the southern zones.

My mom had a massive Lilac tree in her yard for decades that was wonderful to wait for; we were treated to the heavenly magic of lilacs every time we went through the gate to her house. Lilacs make me think of my mother’s yard, in Newport, where she has tended her gardens for over four decades.