"Garden of the Soul" Botanical Watercolors by Erin Daniels
Erin Daniels
My upcoming exhibit, “Garden of the Soul”, is the culmination of years of work and research inspired by a small, tattered book gifted to me after the death of my beloved Nana. The book had belonged to her great-grandmother, Elizabeth Kelly, and was a gift to “Eliza” when she embarked on her emigration to Philadelphia from Greencastle (Belfast), IRE in 1875. The spiritual tome, worn ragged by generations of hopes and worries, is titled “Garden of the Soul” and upon first touching it and reading the heartfelt inscription inside it’s cover I felt as if I held a living link to my past. The seed was planted for an artistic endeavor so encompassing I could not even imagine it at the time. That tiny seed has flourished over years of research, work, and contemplation, to finally blossom with this exhibit.
“Garden of the Soul” as inscribed to Elizabeth Kelly. June 13th 1875.
“Garden of the Soul” explores Legacy, Lineage, and a Sense of Place as expressed through botanical watercolors. A familial connection to Hood College makes this the ideal venue for this exhibit as my son, James, is currently a junior at Hood and my great-aunt, Elizabeth Rose Long (also a direct descendant of Elizabeth Kelly), attended Hood in the 1930’s at the tender age of 16!
The exhibit will open Monday, March 20, 2023 (appropriately the first day of Spring) and close on April 14, 2023. There will be an opening reception open to all on Saturday, April 1 from 2-4 pm - I hope to see you there!