Toward the end of August I felt an immense surge of creativity, and began to remember how much I love making all sorts of things- not just paintings. The creative ideas that come through me daily range all over the board- from crafting to furniture refurbishment, photo projects to interior decoration- a constant waterfall of notions infusing my mind as I go about observing daily life. I've been inspired lately by art composed of recycled, found or natural materials and came up with this idea for my friend Sarah's 28th birthday present. I biked the neighborhood for hours plucking flowers, looking for varying hues and textures. I found these white cotton ball like plumes that ended up being ideal for binding the flowers together to create letters. As I dumped all my gatherings out on the floor and began to compose the word, my apartment and finger tips smelled earthy and alive. There's something to be said for using flora and fauna to make art, and I caught myself smiling as I watched this come to fruition on my floor. Next came my bin of vintage fabrics I've collected over the years from thrift stores- four patterns were elected- one for each letter. I quickly photographed the pieces as the sun was setting, a lighting that helped illuminate the natural brilliance of the flowers. White 5 x 7 frames were perfect with the vibrant flowers and vintage patterns, and I love how the photos look 3-dimensional- as if the flowers had been framed themselves. The four photos can be arranged any way- up the stairs, horizontally or vertically- whatever feels right.
I LOVE this project because it could not be more Sarah, more me, or more the essence of our friendship and the ideals we share. A little vintage, a little 60's, and a lot of natural beauty.
