My background as a botanist breaks out here as I portray realistic and not so realistic botanical subjects.

Join the spokes together to make a wheel. A wheel is full of openness…non-being.
But it is necessary.
Spin wet clay to shape a cooking pot. A cooking pot is empty…full of non-being.
But it is necessary.
Work a saw to cut out door and windows. Doors and windows are holes…non-being.
But they are necessary.
To have being is good. But also it is necessary to have non-being…Nothingness.

"The Way of Virtue", Tao Te Ching, attributed to Lao Tzu

 

Passion Flower
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33” x 34.5”
February, 2006

The imagery of the flower in this quilt returns to the archetypal symbol of the richly creative female spirit. New life (creation) spills forth from the tri-partite ovary as the flower as a whole reaches its state of full glory or anthesis. The fruit is yet to come but will undoubtedly follow.

 

Wallflower Renaissance
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28” x 27”
Begun in July 2003, completed in 2004

This quilt represents the burgeoning creativity of the inside-out flower, an image that has resulted from my own inner journey. The inside-out flower symbolizes the centered being that bravely lives from the core (inside) and shares itself and its creations with the world (outside).  The flower itself and particularly the fecund ovary (yin) with overflowing ovules (thoughts, creations) are rendered with many feminine curves. The stamens or male portions of the flower (yang) are rendered more sharply with writhing purple filaments and represent the seminal life force. The outer border reflects the same coloration as the male stamens and is rendered in crisp, pointy triangles that serve as a contrast to the line quality of the rest of the image.

 


Brugmansia at Night
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18" x 14"
November, 2007
Private collection of Penelope Canan

Angel’s Trumpet blossoms are depicted here in their full glory—at night.

 

PLEASE CONTACT ELIZABETH BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ARTWORK AND AVAILABILITY.