Star Flower

The star flower (Trientalis borealis or a similar species) is a small, delicate wildflower that requires close observation and a fine hand to render effectively in watercolor. Nims's treatment magnifies the flower's modest scale, allowing the viewer to appreciate the geometric regularity of its petal arrangement and the subtle color gradations of its reproductive structures. The composition isolates the flower against the white paper ground in the manner of botanical illustration, but the handling is more attentive to the flower's inherent design than a purely scientific treatment would require.

Wildflower illustration was a particularly American offshoot of botanical watercolor, reflecting the interest in native species that characterized American natural history from Bartram onward. Nims's star flower participates in this tradition, treating a common native plant with the same attention that European illustrators reserved for exotic specimens.

Star Flower shows Nims at her most observant: a tiny wildflower rendered with the attention that most artists reserve for showy exotics. The result is a reminder that the commonest plants are often the most beautifully designed.