Daily, we are exposed to a wide range of colors from pastels to the very vivid. These colors are present in everyday life across a broad range of subjects from landscapes to flowers and everything in between.
Switching to black and white film, I eliminated the distraction of color. This has allowed me to interact with the subjects by focusing on textures, shapes, forms, staging, and the application of light creating expressive floral studies.
I describe my process as painting with light.
To create the expressive prints, I mange the tonal range by controlling the amount and quality of light through aperture and filters, and exposure times for the initial capture on film and subsequent printing in the darkroom.
It is said that flowers are a true reflection of how people who give them feel, so to give flowers is to undress their feelings. In my case, I undress my feelings through the selection of the flower and creating the image. My varied life experiences, including being a member of the LGBTQ+ community and now living as a transgender woman, has opened my mind to new perspectives influencing my artistic vision.