Preservation

Like many during the pandemic, my world became very small. Back then we lived in the suburbs of Philadelphia surrounded by working farms. Picking zinnias weekly with my young children became my anchor. The vibrant bursts of color we brought home filled my heart during uncertain times.

I knew those colors wouldn’t last forever, nor would that specific season of life, but I wanted to see what would they become in my paintings. As a creative outlet, I began incorporating preserved petals into collages. What started as a simple experiment became a way to hold onto the fleeting. Even today, I’m not sure if I was trying to preserve the color of the flowers, the memory of that time, or the hope of freedom. That curiosity remains the guiding light in my creative process.