Mangroves with Egret
Landscape was a typical subject for artists working in the 1980s, a period that was dominated by realist painters who sought to capture the picturesque local environment. Here, Abbott focuses on a small cluster of mangrove roots on the shoreline and a scattering of budding shoots in the foreground, emphasising the resiliency of this remarkable species. The presence of a solitary egret, a wading bird commonly sighted foraging for food at the fringes of Cayman’s mangroves, points to the delicate ecosystem that this critical environment supports, and a reminder of the need to protect it for future generations.