I'm a Survivor, Stumpy the Heroic Cherry Tree of Washington DC Painting

Stumpy, the Heroic Cherry Tree of Washington DC, has a kind of miracle story. If you haven't heard of Stumpy, I'll fill you in. Stumpy became known after a post about this wee little cherry tree on the failing sea wall at the Tidal Basin went viral. Soon, he was profiled in the Washington Post, the Washingtonian, and more, becoming a sort of liter-tree-ati figure on the DC cherry blossom scene. Tourists flocked to take his photo, particularly after the dire nature of his condition became known. Essentially, Stumpy should not have bloomed at all. As the sea wall failed, his roots became soaked in the murky water day after day, turning him from a hearty tree to a hollowed out stump with a few branches that arced in a swan song bow over the water. As I prepared to travel back to DC recently for the art open house at my friends' home and to visit the Alma Thomas exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, I thought a lot about Stumpy--what it means to survive against the odds, to succeed when so many doubt you, and to bloom with joy even in difficult times. To me, he became a symbol of the power of joy, hope, and optimism. And so, I had to paint Stumpy--a new Joy Icon--and celebrate the spirit of that tiny but mighty tree. In this piece, I chose to focus in on his blooms, as it is that spirit and sense of vivacity that has inspired so many who followed his story. Acrylic on 30”x24” gallery-wrapped canvas. Wired and ready to hang in your home or office.