Carmel Valley Bushmallow and Sweat Bee Original Painting

Malacothamnus palmeri var. involucratus and Agapostemon texanus (female)

Acrylic on watercolor paper

15 x 13” framed; archival matboard, black metal frame

Carmel Valley bushmallow is a plant endemic to Monterey County; I first drew it, and a couple other rare species of native mallow, when I was a science illustration student. I always wanted to revisit this beautiful plant to paint a proper portrait of it, and because I always have to add a pollinator, I included a little green sweat bee.