Illustrations

This series of watercolor and gouache portraits was created for a university studio painting class. I came up with the idea after reflecting on some fond memories of my childhood.

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When I was a child, I often helped tend to the flowers and vegetable garden around our home with my mother. The Connecticut springs and summers were my favorite times to be outside at the time because of the explosion of blooms and the colors of nature. I'd often walk barefoot under the warm sun and breathe everything in. The poem "Goldenrod" by Mary Oliver evoked those memories and inspired me to convey these feelings through use of flowers.

 

Symbolism is powerful tool in its subtlety that invites the viewer to look deeper beyond the surface. "Expressions in Flower Languages" combines my love for human portraiture, story-telling through illustration, and flora.