2016
Signed, titled, and dated, verso
Acrylic on hand-carved African mahogany
20 x 16 x 2 inches
$2300.00
Philip Campbell writes: “August 2016 we traveled to Chicago to attend an exhibit/book signing/jazz concert for Tony Fitzpatrick at the DePaul University Art Museum. Always the welcoming soul, Tony invited us back to his home for the after party. We stayed a while, but soon ventured out to find a great place to have dinner. Siri guided us to a trendy new restaurant on a corner in the heart of the city. We were sitting at one of the outside tables when my love (she is a botanical installation artist and has an extensive knowledge of plants and flowers) noticed that the pretty flowering plant that fills the planter wall, that was gently leaning over our dinner, was Oleander. Every part of that plant is capable of stopping your heart if ingested. The staff was oblivious to this. To celebrate our surviving that meal and those who did before and after us, the delicious slice of carrot cake is surrounded by pretty flowers, commonly welcomed in to our lives, that are poisonous to humans.”
Poisonous Parts:
Oleander plants contain several toxic elements, including cardiac glycosides, saponins, digitoxigenin, oleandrin, oleondroside, nerioside and other unknown toxins. These poisons are found in all parts of the oleander plant and are toxic whether the plant parts are dried or green. Ingestion of any part of the oleander plant can lead to serious illness and possibly death.