Journey
With the holiday season in full swing, I set my favorite Christmas flower in the window to catch the return of the light on the solstice. I always keep my Poinsettias long after the holidays are over for their internal light continues to amaze me- they simply are a marvel of science. Too often taken for granted around this time of year they are discarded with our majestic pine trees, which have given their all bringing nature inside, and giving us hope. Somehow Poinsettias have become branded with this joyous time of year, full or warmth and good cheer, and then are so easily dismissed, as if they were simply just an ornamental part of the celebrations. Few realize they continue to grow and thrive. My last plant touched the ceiling before I had to trim it down. Of course after two years it did stop flowering and the neighbors thought the leaves resembled something they weren’t… it brought the tropics to us while we had -22 outside. Believe me if you live in Maine, plants help the winter’s go by.
In the spirit of the return of the light I put Vivaldi’s Four Season’s on and admired my Poinsettia. The curvature and sharp angles seemed so perfectly matched. Touching it’s leaves, they were so thin, so delicate and it’s stems just the opposite. The flower’s reminded me of rice-paper and I wondered if an there had ever been an origami Poinsettia. It’s sensual nature energized me and made me think of hotter climates. As I pulled out my camera I felt my heartbeat pound, for no particular reason. Then, within a matter of seconds I took a dozen images hoping I was in tune with the essence of the Poinsettia.
For me still-life images of living flowers can bring an energy to the work that’s decidedly different from still- life of dead flowers. Both are wonderful but the living plants still have the power to transmit their sensuality.
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Lift -off
Photographic art by Ramona du Houx 