STORY BEHIND THE ART OF KAREN KLUGLEIN

17th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at The Horticultural Society of New York

Beach Rose

Rosa rugosa

Rosa rugosa grows along the Long Island beaches where I live. There is not much with conspicuous flowers that can hold up to winds and salt - Queen Ann's lace, beach plums, Montauk daisy which is very hardy and shrub-like, lots of little flowers on grasses and this rose. It always reminds me of summer.

The rose grows on one bay beach that my husband and I have called our "secret spot". One day my husband was driving on the beach and his friend was driving behind him. A woman came out of the dunes stark naked in front of him and ran into the water. Then a naked man ran from the dune in front of his friend into the water! Made their day! Another day at the same spot we witnessed a couple on horseback go up to a little picnic that was already set up, and the man got down on one knee and proposed!

When I began the sketch for the Beach Rose I had just taught a class in composition. Anyone who teaches knows that the teacher is often helped as well as the student. I was particularly focused on a beautiful composition and how your eye is brought in and led through the piece. The darker colored pink flowers are more weighted at the bottom and the buds are sprinkled at the top. Each element was given a lot of thought. The plant has a lot going on with flowers and rose hips and lots of different colors. I find it very decorative and it is a personal favorite of mine.

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Read more about this artist's work:  Weird, Wild & Wonderful