Barbara Rogers has built a career on reinvention. Since earning her Master of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley, she has continually evolved, shaped by life-changing experiences. Her work captures nature’s fragmented beauty, a theme celebrated in Barbara Rogers: The Imperative of Beauty (Hudson Hills Press).

This piece is part of her My Garden: Forms and Forces series, where she integrates local wildlife into the abstract world of her botanical garden. By incorporating recognizable elements, she offers viewers an entry point into her artistic vision. Each piece blends reality with abstraction—in this case, the hummingbird. She has also created one featuring a cardinal and has plans for a rabbit. Seeing familiar subjects helps viewers feel more at ease with original art and abstraction. When they recognize something, their minds engage, allowing them to fully appreciate the artistic concept of an abstract botanical world.