This season, the Garden is thrilled to feature artist Brenda Schodt and her hand-painted ornaments, inspired by the unique landscapes of the Arizona desert. Brenda’s ornaments are a way to bring the desert’s beauty and serenity into your home. Learn more about her creative process and what inspires her designs as she has collaborated with the Garden Shop since 2002, creating ornaments each holiday season.
For Brenda, the creative journey starts with connecting deeply to a theme or landscape. “I begin with research—looking at photos, reading stories and immersing myself in the environment I want to paint,” she explains. Once she captures the essence of the landscape, she translates it onto canvas, using vibrant color blends to bring the scene to life. These paintings then serve as the foundation for her hand-painted glass ornaments. “The changing seasons in the desert—like the wildflower blooms of spring or the warm, glowing colors of fall—are especially inspiring.” She also enjoys connecting with people’s experiences of the Southwest. These stories often spark new themes and ideas for her work, further enriching her designs. Each new collection feels like an opportunity to evoke a sense of place and memory.
Brenda’s inspiration for creating ornaments specifically for the Garden comes from the space’s dedication to preserving the desert’s beauty. “The Garden’s mission to celebrate the desert’s unique flora really resonates with me,” she says. “Through these ornaments, I aim to capture the magic of the desert, giving people a way to take home a small piece of that beauty.”
The desert’s vibrant plants and harsh yet beautiful environment play a major role in her work. “I’m inspired by the shapes, textures, and colors of desert plants—like the reds of the blooms of the cactus and the deep greens of succulents,” she says. Brenda uses a combination of fine brushwork and layering techniques to add depth and texture to her ornaments, bringing out the intricate details of each plant, from cactus spines to desert flower petals.
Brenda’s medium of choice—acrylic paint on canvas and glass—lets her colors pop and her designs shine. “Canvas offers a clean surface for vibrant colors, and glass presents a fun challenge with its round surface,” she says. These techniques allow her to create ornaments that are both delicate and bold, with a lasting sense of place.
This holiday season, we invite you to visit Desert Botanical Garden and discover the magic of Arizona through Brenda’s beautiful collection, on sale Nov. 29th. On Dec. 6 & 7 from 5-8pm, Brenda will be at the Garden Shop during Luminaria, ready to personalize ornaments for you! It’s the perfect opportunity to take home a one-of-a-kind keepsake that carries a bit of the Garden’s enchanting spirit. Members enjoy a 20% discount on Garden Shop purchases (excluding sale items) on these two nights, so be sure to pick up an ornament while supplies last. Whether you’re a desert fan or a first-time visitor, Brenda’s work beautifully captures the spirit of the Southwest. Don’t miss the chance to bring home a piece of the Garden’s magic this holiday season!
