Stems is a series dissecting how our daily lives and activities manifest within our bodies.

I developed chronic muscular pain stemming from the physicality and repetitive postures of my floral design career. In addition, my environmental allergies grew exponentially each year due to the use of overseas flowers that brought foreign pollens and a large amount of pesticides into a small studio space. This combination was constantly at odds with the joy I found in my designs.

This project is a meditation on the duality of my floral design experience. The destruction of one to create another. I begin by creating an arrangement from locally farmed or foraged flowers to showcase the beauty of seasonal, ‘slow’ stems. Once the arrangement is complete it is photographed and natural inks are formulated from its’ components to paint depictions of the areas of my body where pain has manifested from my floral design career. Through this contemplation and exercise I hope to release the mental energy tied to pain and bring greater awareness of the floral community.