Mixed media florals

In bloom

My work with florals has evolved—not only in material, but in feeling. There is a new boldness and freedom that has emerged through the process of making.

After years of working in oil and developing a floral language rooted in realism, often set against luminous gold leaf grounds, I began carrying those lessons into a more experimental form. These mixed-media pieces are both continuation and departure.

Gold leaf still holds the key, but the compositions have loosened. Each piece is built from thin layers of dyed silver leaf, gold leaf, mother-of-pearl, and oil paint. The works retain a suggestion of realism, yet the forms are freer—more deconstructed, more abstract—lit by color and an inner glow.

As with all of my metal leaf work, the surface shifts depending on how you encounter it. Light changes everything.

These florals invite movement and reward return visits. There is always more to see.