Embers in the Tangle

About this piece

Clusters of fleshy pink and cream blossoms punctuate a dense lattice of gray-brown wood. Bright petals and rounded buds draw the eye across the frame, contrasting with the rough bark and deep shadows behind them.

The story

I was drawn to the way the flowers interrupted the wood, their bright curves appearing between so many hard, crossing lines. Looking closer, I found buds beside open blossoms, each holding a different measure of pink and gold. I framed the tangle rather than separating a single flower from it. What held my attention was that closeness: delicate petals pressed into the same view as bark, shadow, and the weight of older growth.