I believe some things grow more beautiful with time, a sensibility I picked up in my twenties refinishing antique furniture. That same love of history and texture shows up now in Petal & Grace, my series of botanical paintings on wood panels, built from layers of paint and aged wood appliqués. Each piece started as a personal comfort after loss, and my hope is that anyone standing in front of one feels what I felt making it: that beauty and gratitude are always worth returning to.