My obsession with trees, specifically the Live Oak, is no secret. In fact, one of my favorite clients calls me the "Oak Lady." I spent the first 8 years of my life living on one of the last dirt roads in Savannah to be paved. Moss draped live oaks canopy the drive, it's still, and the marsh is right there. We left Savannah for many years but every summer we came back to visit family. The Live Oak was and is a symbol of home.

As published by Heather Young (Fly Young Studio) - CANOPY features abstracted tree canopies from 21 of Savannah's 22 squares. (Sorry Ellis, your trees are sparse)

The idea for CANOPY came to me one day while thinking about Savannah connections. Everything here is intertwined; history, families, the mysteries and myths that surround our city. Then there is the historic design of the city with its 22 square grid. I started thinking of the branches connecting overhead to form a bit of a quilt over the city. Square format paintings made sense and then came the fun part, reference! The boys and I spent countless afternoons walking the squares, hunting the best tree composition in each one. (Thank you iPhone for your square format photo option.

One day I promised the boys a picnic on our “tree hunt” only to get rained out. So we picnicked in the car until the rain passed and eagerly jumped in puddles afterward.

We stumbled upon this heart made of fallen camellias. As if Savannah wasn’t already the prettiest city after a good rain?! Love!

Other days we took breaks to eat at Leopold’s, stroll Jones Street and play with dogs walking through the parks.

CANOPY slowly took shape. Each composition designed to stand alone and collectively; diverse and universal as the city itself.

Reception Thursday, May 2nd from 5-7:30 pm at The Grand Bohemian Gallery inside The Mansion on Forsyth Park, 700 Drayton Street.