The Joan Davis Tulip
The very first thing I ever painted was created on a camping trip with my family. My father, a prominent New York City painter, encouraged my sister and me to find a flat stone from our campsite. I discovered a small, four-inch piece of shale with a naturally textured surface and, using my father's professional paints, painted a simple three-petal tulip in a vivid, rich red.
When my father took the stone from my hands, I remember crying, convinced he had returned it to nature. Instead, he had carefully varnished it, transforming the humble rock into a smooth, glassy jewel. The joy and wonder I felt in that moment has stayed with me
ever since.
That early experience marked the beginning of my creative journey. Today, the red tulip stands as a symbol of that first spark—the joy of making, the generosity of sharing beauty, and my lifelong desire to create art that brings the same sense of happiness and wonder to those who encounter it.
