54th National Exhibition Dreamweavers

VANESSA RUSCZYK GHOST FLOWER

I had searched for Ghost Flowers for many years during spring hikes in the desert near my home in San Diego. Recently I was rewarded with a beautiful specimen, barely visible off the trail. The pale translucent petals give the flower its name. Ghost Flowers do not produce nectar, so they have evolved to mimic a similar desert flower in order to attract pollinators. It is also believed that the dark red spot mimics a female bee, thereby drawing in male bees for pollination. The beauty of flowers like this one is not just visual; it is also the exploration, research, and creation

that result from the search for one small flower.

16” x 12” — Oil $1,200

VANESSA RUSCZYK • WAOW Associate • CA • www.studiosoledad.com Vanessa Rusczyk’s award-winning paintings of native flora and Western landscapes give viewers a close look at plant structure and natural design, immersing them in that small world on a human scale. Her paintings are inspired by hikes around her San Diego home and trips to the desert regions of the American Southwest. She is a signature member of American Women Artists and a member of Women Artists of the West.

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