Growing Old Series Origins

The Golden Knot/Growing Old

A photograph of a dried tulip.

I don't know about you but when I was younger always kept flowers from special occasions. I would hang them up in my room and treasure those memories. I guess, even then, I hated the idea of these beautiful flowers just going to the trash, so instead, I kept them.

I started the series Growing Old while I was in school in San Francisco. I was spending hours alone in my studio photographing flowers and found that yet again I couldn't bear to get rid of them, so, they kept me company. I knew that these flowers had so much more life in them even after they had officially died.

I had many different types of flowers hanging up to dry in my little studio but one of my favorite flowers to dry was tulips. Tulips are so interesting just in general and to watch them over a whole lifespan is amazing. When I would purchase tulips in the morning they were closed and after being in my studio for awhile the petals would start to open up. After having them for a day or two they would start to droop and then I would hang them up. As you can see, the petals took on a life of their own! Some petals would be spread open wide, while others would almost tangle themselves in a knot. I loved the unique shapes that they created.

I kept many of these dried flowers through our moving from the Bay Area down to Phoenix. I was entirely amazed at how well the flowers stayed together throughout our many moves when we arrived here in Phoenix. After years of delicately moving them from one place to another and having two children, it was time to say goodbye to the box that held all of these precious petals. I do still collect and dry flowers but now once I photograph them I allow myself to let go of them and keep my space, both mentally and physically, clear.

Fluttering Kimono/Growing Old

A photograph of a dried tulip.