Pieces from the Arboretum Series stem from various visits to the Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia, PA during the spring and summer of 2012. Each of the watercolors were results of focused awareness to the setting, with joyful exploration of the medium. The series is Malik's tribute to the Arboretum, as a thank you for creating a space for guests of all ages, that brims with the wonders of nature.



From the Morris Arboretum's website:

"More than 13,000 labeled plants of over 2,500 types are growing in the Arboretum’s living collection. These include representatives of the temperate floras of North America, Asia, and Europe... Many of the Delaware Valley’s "trees-of-record" (the largest of their kind) are found in the Arboretum. Most notable are the katsura, Engler beech, Bender oak, and trident maple.... More recently, staff members have regularly engaged in plant collecting expeditions in Asia and the United States, increasing the diversity of plants available for today’s urban and community landscapes. Currently plants from 27 countries are represented in the collection with a primary focus on Asian temperate species. Significant plant groups in the Arboretum’s collection include maples, magnolia species, native azaleas, members of the witch hazel family, roses, hollies, and conifers."



For more on the Morris Arboretum, see the Friends section on this site.