BLACK AND WHITE FLORA

A flower is one of the most ancient and revered symbols of beauty that humankind has ever known. It embodies the most æsthetically pleasing aspect of the life cycle of a plant. The sprouting, budding, flowering, wilting and the eventual death of the flower, only to be reborn from its seed, is a pattern repeated throughout Nature.

I have endeavored to pay homage to the flower and its life cycle. Here are not only flowers but leaves and seeds and stalks, all parts of the cycle. I have changed the shape of some. I have in some cases been playful with its best ally-light. I have, in all cases, remained in awe of its allure.

In this body of work I seek to highlight the simplicity as well as the complexity of the flower. A flower exudes beauty even when a small section is detailed. When flowers are arranged in a vase, each individual flower becomes part of the community that is a bouquet.

In my black and white work I have opted to resist the lure of the inherently vivid colors of flowers. I have chosen instead to explore the subtleties of shape, light, shadow and texture. Indeed I mean to draw attention to these elements by removing all suggestion of pigment from the subjects.

My goal is to portray flowers not as photographs in a catalog, but as an adventure through their many facets.