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Botanical art is one of the ways I express emotion and story. I use flowers like I use words in my poetry. Many of our life experiences and depths cannot be explained nor expressed outright. We must create art, we must move our bodies, we must find ways to share this wordless knowing.
Flowers and plants are deeply symbolic treasures to behold. A flower is the moment that beauty is expressed and abundance, through pollination, is created. We are like flowers in that way, each with our own beauty to express. We are powerful revelations. We needn’t hide our exquisiteness. Just like the flowers, we bloom and then die. This is perfect. We are a rare expression of the universe for a fleeting and epic moment. Each and every one of my floral creations contains a journey. When I am out driving or walking I often find myself struck with emotion when certain plants appear. I forage a lot of my material because I enjoy that process of being fully embodied in nature and letting it show me what wants to be created through me. Recently I came across this cattail grass. It literally drew me toward it. Every time I drove past the stand I had an urge to pull over. Today I finally did. The grass was tall, strong and erect, like golden bolts of lightning every so slightly swaying in the wind. It contained this image of powerful peacefulness. It was a message I needed. It reminded me of my own power when I am at peace with myself. |
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MEDITATION
One day, when I was feeling overwhelmed and empty at the same time
I wandered into the woods Saw the ivy overtaking all the trees Covering the ground like a sea of green Nothing else could grow amongst this fast moving invasive species It felt like a reflection of my mind in its current state Overgrown Overwhelmed I entered into a state of meditation Emptying my mind Noticing the birds and squirrels running around Gathering food and shelter Seeing the abundance of nature And remembering my simplicity in being I took a deep breath Feeling gratitude for the clean air the trees create with me I relaxed into oneness Without my separate identity Just another part of the forest ecosystem My hands wanted to create They wanted to feel and be sensual But I didn’t want to birth another product And more waste I’ve fought against this desire in me for some time I wondered if I was too ideal Too stubborn to ever be financially stable Because I was unwilling to contribute to unthoughtful consumerism I wanted to create something for the future of our world Something that could be composted in its entirety And something that reminded us of a simple truth It was at that moment I began pulling ivy off the ground and trees Weaving it into wreaths And connecting them into a long chain It was a spontaneous forest meditation It was a moment I wanted to pass along to anyone in need of that daily reminder That you’re worthy just being here That your thoughts will never lead you to the answer To trust your deeper “knowing” that exists in those spaces of emptiness Each ring on this chain a representation of thoughts becoming doorways For clarity and truth to clamor out of a representation of our childlike nature Playing in the forest Making daisy chains and paper chains Feeling our wildness Marrying the energy of mind and adulthood To the energy of heart and childhood We cannot hear the truth of our being If we are constantly filled to the brim with study intake creation questions We are spoken to in silence Leave space Open doorways For the creative pulse To be revealed in you |
OCTOPUS GUIDEI have a vivid imagination. When I meditate I tap into the images that show up naturally. Lately, I have found myself diving to the darkest depths of the ocean where I am greeted by a wise Octopus guide.
The Octopus shows me where my shadows still linger and helps me recognize and move through them. SYMBOLICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY: Their eight arms represent expansion freedom and the number eight stands for harmony and balance. In traditional numerology, eight symbolizes abundance, personal power, and authority. Their movement through the dark under water realms links us to our psychic abilities, which we all have. I created this piece to pay tribute to this guide. I used wild blackberry branches with their powerful thorns to represent the expansive and epic reach of the gifts that come from our shadows. |
TRIBUTE TO
THE MEADOW |
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A tribute to our backyard meadow.
To Daisies for their piercing lightness. To Heal All + Plantain for their beauty at our feat and the healing of our wounds. To Grass for your coverage and feeding of the grasseaters. To Blackberry for your persistence, and grit, your astringency and your sweetness. To Hawthorne for your protection and calming of our hearts. To Pine for your aromatic, nostalgia inducing presence. To Usnea for you elegant life hanging from trees and supporting our immune systems. ⠀ |
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THE WAND
CHOOSES THE WIZARD I see the alchemy of the times within my own hands
every input and out becoming magic I shout with my whole being |
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