In July,1997 I spent a week with my cousin Nancy and her family in Ann Arbor. This is one of three pictures I painted. Two were of the house with the garden in the foreground. This picture is looking out to the back yard from the house. That’s me painting. This one was done after I got home. I did it primarily from memory and sketches. It’s the only one with the irises, and the only painting to date that I’ve put myself in as an accessory. It’s also my only flower garden that’s been painted entirely in my studio. The other two w ere not finished, and were too wet to transport. I wanted to make sure I got at least one good picture from the trip while the garden was still fresh in my mind. I also liked the composition with the shed.