Faded Beauty

Here's the follow up piece to "American Beauty", done about two years after. In this mask, the rose has lost some petals....and will continue to lose them. It seems an obvious message, and yet as the rose fades there is still the opportunity to bask in the sun and enjoy its warmth till dark fall.

This is one theme that I probably won't continue - for what is left but a pile of petals? That's a little too close to the dark side for me. And although I can't deny its presence, I don't care to focus on it......

American Beauty

Since the roses in my yard are either blooming or soon to bloom, I thought it was time to bring out this tribute to roses mask from 2003. I happen to think that people and roses have a lot in common - at least metaphorically: I'm thinking specifically of the stages of growth unfolding in their own time and season. A fully open rose seems symbolic of all that is at its peak, both lovely and fragile. It seems a shame to cut them....