Red Poppy and Purple Iris

(edition of ten prints)
Image size: 3.25” x 4.25” on photo paper measuring: 8.5” x 11”
Each print is on archival Epson Premium Luster inkjet paper

About the “Flower Series”:
Last year in May 2016 my daughter had a near-fatal brain hemorrhage. After emergency brain surgery and pediatric ICU for two days, she was in the hospital for nearly a month. I spent every night on the couch by her side. To maintain some kind of sanity, I would take walks (when another family member took over for me) out to a small flower garden in front of the hospital. I would stare at these flowers and their seemingly impossible beauty would recharge my sense of hope that I could deal with what was going on. We are always stronger than we think we are and when it comes to our children there is a special reservoir that arises to meet us.

I had recently bought another Polaroid camera for my collection, a vintage SX-70, that came with some expired film. I used this camera to make all the photographs in this series. The imperfections are what make images unique and surprising. As I tell my daughter, we are all perfectly imperfect. Despite what the media tells us, we don’t need to be anything more than what we are, as it is our seeming “imperfections” that make us truly wonderful. The miracle in all of this is that my daughter is doing incredibly well now – almost as if what happened did not. My gratitude for still having her here is immeasurable. I am also incredibly grateful that I have my art practice for processing my pain, sorrow, hope and joy.