My six photography collections are drawn from my experiences of the natural world in rural Albemarle County, where I grew up, and in the Shenandoah Valley, where my parents and I now reside. My mother, a landscape architect with a lifelong love of nature and garden design, has cultivated flower and perennial gardens, flowering shrubs and trees, and a small orchard of apple and pear trees. Her landscape and garden design talents have been brought to bear on this property just as they were at “Evergreen,” the property in Albemarle Country where I spent my childhood. Her love of gardens and strong aesthetic commitment to creating beautiful landscapes and gardens that blend seamlessly with the natural beauty of their surroundings inspires my work and is the focus of my photographic collections.
My photography features individual blossoms or bouquets freshly picked from the garden, loosely arranged (on the spot), then held up to the sky for a photo. Roses in particular are superbly photogenic because of the intricate folds and shadows of their overlapping petals at all stages of their opening. It may well be said, too, that of all flowers, roses have the richest symbolic history in our culture.
Most common in the wild, pink roses project affection, gratitude and sympathy and so are appropriate for warm expressions of appreciation or condolence. Yellow roses, symbolic of joy and happiness, are perfect for birthdays or get-well messages. The white rose represents purity in the form of spiritual or unconditional love, and honors new beginnings and farewells, such as christenings, marriages, and graduations—always with hope for the future. White roses are especially meaningful to me because they represent unconditional love and our innate capacity for inner peace.
Special thanks to Skyler Burden for collaborating with the artist to produce the product photos as seen in the Shop.