I build up these wall sculptures one petal at a time. I soak fabric flower petals in encaustic medium, letting it fully saturate the material, and then place them on a panel, forming them as the encaustic cools and hardens. These pieces celebrate flowers as objects of beauty, seduction, and attraction while also considering the protective nature of petals. Densely clustered together, they begin to reference shingles, scales, or armor.

Flowers appear throughout our lives to celebrate joyous occasions, to comfort in times of sickness and sadness, and also to commemorate lost ones. They encompass so much of what it means to be alive. I chose to create these pieces in a circular format so that they would pose as shields in addition to giant blooms.