Palmetto and Oak #221

Palmetto and Oak #221 is an original oil on paper by local artist Retta Dotterer, bringing together two of the most recognizable trees of the South Carolina Lowcountry. A broad live oak anchors the composition while palmetto fronds fan out alongside it, their overlapping trunks, branches, and leaves creating a lush study of the coastal landscape.

Retta approaches the scene with loose, confident brushwork and layers of earthy color. Deep olive and forest greens mingle with warm browns, soft blue-grays, ochres, and flashes of coral pink, allowing the familiar forms of oak and palmetto to emerge through expressive strokes rather than precise detail. The result feels both distinctly Southern and surprisingly contemporary.

Painted in oil on paper, Palmetto and Oak #221 celebrates the trees that give the Lowcountry so much of its character. Retta’s signature hand-painted pink border adds a vivid contrast to the natural palette and makes the irregular edge of the work part of the composition itself. It’s a one-of-a-kind original with plenty of texture, movement, and sense of place.

11.25"W x 10"H