“The plant characteristically grows on steep densely wooded slopes, and the first flowers are beautifully displayed with last year’s leaves cascading downhill from the clusters of blossoms. These leaves are variously colored red, brown, or bright green depending on how thoroughly each leaf was protected from the rigors of winter by the cover of forest litter.” 

–Fred Wampler

Wampler’s composition captures the wildflower as it makes its understated yet emphatic appearance, signalling the end of winter and the coming of spring. We find other signs of seasonal change nestled within the blooming plant. Among the detritus and blooms, there is the gently curving shell of a snail. Above the plant, we find a bee caught mid-flight as he passes by a single leaf on a stark branch; a remnant from the previous season. Wampler places bare branches in the upper register of the composition that contrast with the gentle cascade of leaves that form the space below, further amplifying the transience of the hepatica