Flowers as a metaphor for life by -SWM

My dear old Mom won't let anybody buy her flowers.  She says she can't stand to watch them die. 

Which is probably a bit like saying she wouldn't own a puppy because she doesn't want to see it grow old, or read a book because she can't stand that it will end, or better yet, eat a chocolate because then it would all be gone and all she'd have left to remind her of the wonderful experience is the foil wrapper.

Whether you believe in the divine creator or the Big Bang theory, there's something to be said for whoever (or whatever!) created flowers.

I ask you. . . who is not awed by the beauty of a spring rose, fresh with dew, or the fresh appeal of a yellow buttercup, or the fiesta of colors in a bunch of gerberas (beautiful flowers, awful name!)

We've come to associate the germination and birth of a flower with life itself.  We talk about children "blossoming", the "rosy red glow" of a pregnant woman or "happy as a rose bud in June".  At the end of its brief but impressive life, a flower will return to the ground from whence it came, in much the same way as we humans do.  Well, most of us.

And flowers have a special language all their own.  Of course, the big one is roses, the traditional symbol of love.  But don't be fooled into thinking a bouquet of flowers from your loved one is a sign of his undying affection. 

According to the Victorians, who first assigned a special language to flowers, giving Candytuft means indifference, and Cyclamen represents goodbye, while the poor old orange Lily means dislike and dissatisfaction.

Pity the poor fellow who presents a  prettily wrapped bouquet of flowers to his lady-love.  The flowery language of love he's trying to send may need translation!

some pictures i have taken this week! enjoy!

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

My Final Concept :)

I'm a senior at The Roeper School and as a senior project I will be creating a exhibition of flowers I had decided a few months ago that I wanted my senior project to be all about relating flowers to emotions because i want to go into art therapy, I wanted my flowers to evoke different feelings in people and I wanted to record the result forgeting that peoples emotions cant be forced or sometimes even predicted. But as I began to play with ideas and different concepts and types of flowers I realized that the significant of flowers is way bigger than that and they are something I would rather explore than just create and document. I had decided that the idea of emotions via flowers is a great concept but it might constrict me after time and discussion with my amazing ceramics teacher and wonderful mother I realized that I have become very infatuated with the idea of exploring flowers and plants not only with clay but with the inspiration of pictures, words and places I have created a blog where I have begun to document my inspirations processes thoughts, and ideas as related to my exploration of flowers in nature, art, and life. I ask that you join me in my journey and express any inspired emotions positive or negative you may feel as you follow along.

Happy New Year!!!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!
As the new year is upon us we are able to hit refresh letting go of all the stresses and problems of the past year and embark on new journeys using the lessons we were given the chance to learn through our struggles.

I for one am ready! I am ready to receive what ever it is 2011 has in store for me!