Before the Unfolding

About this piece

Cream-white frangipani petals open around golden centers, their curved edges illuminated against a saturated blue sky. An upright bud interrupts the spread of blossoms, bringing a compact, folded form into contrast with the broad petals.

The story

I moved close enough for the flowers to fill the frame, leaving the blue sky as their only backdrop. Light caught the fine texture of the nearest petals and gathered in their yellow centers. Beside them, a closed bud held my attention: narrow, shaded, still keeping its shape to itself. I wanted to hold those two states together, the flower already open and the one with its unfolding still ahead.