If you’ve ever entered a mangrove tunnel by kayak, you know how transporting they can be. The world narrows. Light filters through interlaced roots and leaves, flickering and shifting as the water moves beneath you. The dominant sounds are simple and grounding—the glide of a paddle, the soft splash of water against the hull, the sudden scuttle of a crab disappearing from view, or a seabird lifting off to find another hidden perch. There’s a sense of being held within the landscape itself and also the joy of witnessing a secret place—fully alive and slightly other-worldly.
When my clients— who had previously commissioned an expansive panorama of Shell Key Preserve —asked for a recommendation for a second painting, the mangroves felt like a natural next step. These tunnels are right outside their windows, woven into their daily lives. They are devoted nature lovers, and their condo reflects that sensibility: wood floors, natural furnishings, and organic textures used throughout to reinforce a connection to the environment they cherish.
Around the same time, the collectors added a series of mangrove root inspired wall hangings against their grass-cloth living room wallpaper. The painting began to echo those forms organically—the branching roots and lines in the composition mirroring the woody vines across the room, creating a subtle visual dialogue between art and interior.
The mangrove root wall hangings shown here are part of a small collection of natural elements I offer to collectors and designers looking to build cohesion across a space. You can view them here.
What I love most about projects like this is how they evolve. A home doesn’t come together all at once—it’s built through thoughtful layers, shared language, and pieces that speak to one another over time.
In this case, the paintings and their frames, the vine wall elements, and the natural materials throughout the space work together to create a sense of continuity—one that reflects how these collectors live and what they value.
My role is not just to create individual paintings, but to help guide that larger conversation between art, architecture, and interior design—so each addition feels intentional, personal, and deeply at home.
If you’re considering adding to an existing collection—or building one over time—I’m always happy to help think through how new work can live in harmony with what you already love.
