STORY BEHIND THE ART OF TERRI MUNROE

23rd Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at Wave Hill

Dried Date Palm Petiole

Phoenix dactylifera

Living in Southern California provides a plethora of swaying palm trees, ocean air, and strong seasonal Santa Ana winds. Most people do not realize that if the imported plants are removed, you are left with a desert-like atmosphere. One morning after a windy summer night, I came upon a broken piece of petiole from the trunk of a date palm – Phoenix dactylifera. Dried, cracked, and frayed with tiny fibers from the rachis of the frond, I decided it would be a great specimen to paint and document.

The petiole is the base of the frond stalk that attaches the midrib to the tree trunk. The frond midrib, spines, and leaflets go on to expand into the branch as the frond grows. If you have ever eaten a stalk of celery at the base, then you have eaten a petiole! The date palm was brought to Southern California from Spain by missionaries who cultivated the dates for food. The Latin word – petiolus – meaning “little foot,” captures the idea of the base nearest the trunk. As you look closely, the petiole is a critical structure that maintains the chemicals and nutrients in a plant and plays a key role in photosynthesis. 

This palm remnant was so unusual and interesting that I knew it presented a challenge to try and capture its detail. Over and over, I explored the composition and kept turning the petiole from front to back. I finally decided on a slight rotation of the frontal view to show the gray and purple hues on the back side, and the amber and burnt umber hues on the front. After sketching the basic composition in graphite, I noticed that I needed to perceive each section as different, almost as if a paint by number set. From the fibers extending out along the edges -- to the base containing vascular tissue that provides a water source to the midrib -- to the ochre swirls and curls on the front side, I summoned up the courage and told myself, “try.” 

Although I thought about doing this piece in graphite, I decided to start painting it in watercolor to demonstrate the incredible details of color. I like the way watercolor can lay down saturated color as a base for detail. I have found that my past oil painting techniques of pointillism and dry brush scumble help to create a marbling effect with the colors. I often use the side bristle hairs of my Da Vinci “0” brush as a palette knife. The scrubbing motion leaves a broken color effect in those areas of transition from section to section. I loved showing the tiniest fibers existing deep within the cracks, and the crevices between the crusty veins with coppery shadows. You can see the whole life span in the dried growth pattern. 

I truly enjoyed the depth and texture that this dried, old, wrinkled specimen had to offer…much like our own stories that cannot be forgotten. 

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