Why flowers remain my primary subject:

They teach me how to be present, and unhurried. They have been a consistent source of awe and inspiration during times of neccesary solitude. They are a natural antidepressant, and are capable of healing the soul, therefore they possess health benefits for the body as well. The two I believe, can not be seperated. They are wildly eclectic and rarely perfect; photographing them has taught me that I don’t have to be either. They speak without words, they speak with stems, petals, texture, color, and essence. They are a seed, a bud, a blossom, a full bloom, a softening, and a surrender. They wilt, they get brown spots, and they are absolutely perfect in every stage. Perfect,as in they are naturally in flow with change.

When provided the right enviroment and nurtured, by the end of their short lives, they gracefully let go. If they are too crowded, cold, or misplaced, they become rigid and fail to ever fully bloom. Some (a magnolia), are quite resilient physically, while others bruise more easily (a peony). Yet, in spirit they are equals. Doesn’t this sound parallel to the human condition? Although far more benevolent, they are often for me a means to express feeling, and story. Tenderness and honesty, are their superpowers. They can lighten the heart, the energy of a home, and they can even create heart mind coherence; a soul saving practice essential for human survival. They are anything but frivilous; these sweet, magical, powerful, little beings.