Irisis
Irisis (Floriography) pulp painting, 22×30”
The iris brings back childhood memories of walking home from school and appropriating flowers from back alleys in my neighbourhood.
Iris was the Greek Goddess of the rainbow. She traveled on rainbows to deliver messages between gods and mortals, often seen as a bridge between heaven and earth.
Poppy
Poppy (Floriography), pulp painting, 22×30”
I love the fake poppies we buy for Remembrance Day. I still remove the green centre (and pin) and wear the poppy like fake lips.
Poppies represent death and eternal life. They are also associated with beauty and magic.
In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy, Toto, and the Cowardly Lion fall into a deep, supernatural sleep on their way to Emerald City. It is broken when Glinda the Good Witch causes a covering of magical snow to fall, waking them up.
Infinite shades of green
Infinite shades of green (Floriography), pulp painting, 22×30”
Black heart
Black heart (Floriography), pulp painting
Inspired by mushroom picking; ink caps have rapid autodigestion and turn into inky black liquid within hours of maturity. The species is primarily male.
Everything is coming up roses
Everything is coming up roses (Floriography), pulp painting.
Pulp
New art works made from paper pulp. There are many materials integrated into the matrices: old art work (prints), doilies, matt board, abaca-cotton-hemp-wood linters, pigment, t-shirts, flocking, crushed sea shells, dirt, hair, rose petals, glitter, mica powder, and spices.
This current body of work, titled Floriography, is about memory. Floriography is the secret language of flowers. The process of creating these pulp based relief works is playful and exploratory, the foundation of material studies in the studio.