Fort McHenry Cherry Trees

 

2026 has been a horrible year so far. My mom passed away in early February after months of decline, and her loss has been crushing. The bitterly cold winter produced a huge sleet and snowstorm in January that damaged my home (at least that's fixed now) and killed all the plants I had in containers outside. Sometimes it feels like there will never be another good day ever again. It has been difficult to find any inspiration to paint, but I gave it a go today.

On Friday, I visited Fort McHenry while the cherry blossoms were in bloom - their peak time is about a week later than those in Washington DC. The historic fort is worth exploring and you can easily spend a few hours walking the grounds and learning the history of the place. The cherry trees added a nice blast of spring color to the scene, which I tried to represent in this painting. 

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Moonlit Cherry Blossoms

As final tribute this year to the cherry blossoms that have long since faded, here we see a gnarled old cherry tree in the light of the full moon. Its limbs and flowers are backlit by the pale light, long shadows are cast, and pink petals glow like sparks in the blur of night. 

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Gnarled Cherry Trees

Spring has arrived in the Mid Atlantic, and flowering trees light up the woodland edges and highways in pastel colors. Here, we see a small grove of old, gnarled cherry trees by a lake. Their trunks and limbs are twisted and scarred from age, but they continue to bloom each year with explosions of pinks and whites. In this fleeting moment, let us enjoy spring!

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Spring on the Shoulder

All over the eastern seaboard, along highway shoulders and medians, spring has arrived. Scattered throughout the old pines and dried brush from last summer, flowering trees appear in pastel colors. While one's eyes should be on the road, it's hard not to sneak a peek at the chaotic whirl of colors living next to the pavement. 

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

DC Cherries at Dawn

As the land warms and the days grow longer, the cherry trees begin to flower. A rite of spring in Maryland and DC each year, the cherry blossoms draw crowds to enjoy their stunning colors in defiance of winter. Here, we see the sunrise, back-lighting a trio of old cherry trees somewhere near the waters of Washington DC.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Misty Mountain Cherries

Spring is here, bringing with it new life and a mix of colors both subtle and bold. Warm, wet weather rolls through the mountains, as leaves appear and the cherry trees burst into bloom.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Kinder Farms flowering trees

The last of the flowering trees finished their spring display within the past few weeks; this painting captures that finale at Kinder Farms, a local park devoted to the history of farming in the area.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Cherry Tree and Pines

This one continues the spring theme of flowering trees - can you tell I'm sick of winter? Here's an old cherry tree growing near the edge of a scrubby border near two big pine trees. The mix of light and shadow makes the composition in this painting, while the cherry tree holds the viewer's attention. The cherry blossoms are echoed in the distant cherries and the petals on the ground.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Cherry Tree on a Windy Day

Well, it is FINALLY spring!

So, I figured I'll paint spring-time scene, and flowering trees are the perfect choice. Here, we see an old cherry tree in flower on a breezy, spring day. You can see the shed petals blowing in the wind and scattered along the ground. In the background on the left are some smaller, young cherry trees. The trees were tricky in this one since I wanted to give the impression that they had almost finished leafing out, which is not easy to do, but I think it turned out pretty well.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17" (framed, SOLD)