Cumberland Azalea & Black Squirrel: Appalachian Wildlife Art
I had never seen a Cumberland Azalea before.
We were in the boat on Laurel River Lake when the orange blooms caught my eye from the bank. They were so bright and unexpected against all that green that I remember wanting a better look. At first I assumed they were Flame Azaleas.
Curious, I looked them up when I got home and fell down a rabbit hole that led me to botanist E. Lucy Braun, who first described Cumberland Azalea (Rhododendron cumberlandense) in 1941.
The more I learned, the more fascinated I became. Cumberland Azalea is a rare Appalachian native with a surprisingly limited range. What I thought was simply a beautiful wildflower turned out to be one of the botanical treasures of the Cumberland region.
That is the part that stayed with me. One minute it was just a flash of orange from the water. The next, I was reading about a plant tied closely to this region, one I had somehow never knowingly seen before.
When I shared photos online, people began telling stories. Some remembered seeing Cumberland Azaleas blooming on ridge tops decades ago. Others talked about the last time they had encountered one. A few knew exactly where small patches still grow. It became clear that this plant means something to people who know these mountains.
Those responses changed the way I thought about the painting. It was not only about a native azalea. It was about memory, place, and the way people carry certain plants with them for years.
As I worked, I also found myself thinking about my lifelong friend Donna, who has always loved squirrels. The black squirrel quietly found its way into the composition as a tribute to her.
Around our home in southeastern Kentucky, melanistic black gray squirrels are one of those little wonders that never quite lose their magic. We see them often enough to look for them, but never often enough to stop appreciating them. Their dark coats catch the sunlight differently than other squirrels, turning them into beautiful silhouettes against the woods and water.
I chose not to make either the squirrel or the azaleas the obvious star of the painting. That’s not how I found them. Both appeared gradually. Both rewarded a second look.
That felt right for this piece. The Cumberland Azalea, the black squirrel, the people telling stories about flowers they remembered from long ago, and the friendship behind the squirrel all seemed to belong together quietly, without one thing taking over the whole scene.
Cumberland Azalea & Black Squirrel: Among Rare Things is rooted in Laurel River Lake, Appalachia, and the joy of discovering something wonderful that had been there all along.
What to Notice
- The black squirrel resting quietly among the Cumberland Azalea blooms
- Coral-orange flowers glowing against turquoise reflections and cool forest green
- Blue-green reflected light catching along the squirrel’s dark fur
- The leaning branch, warm limestone, and bank detail that hold the scene together
- The tall vertical composition, especially suited for entryways, hallways, reading nooks, cabins, and narrow wall spaces
The finished piece is available as a ready-to-hang matte canvas print in vertical sizes from 10x20 through 30x60.
