Shades of Grey
6x9 pen and ink on wc paper
Sunflowers have many lives. From summer buds, to sunny golden edged blooms, to dried seed heads... each stage has its own beauty, and it is the dried seed heads that intrigue me the most.
Sure, I love bright colors, but the nuances of grey in this pen and ink piece speak volumes about the life this flower has led. Her back and neck are bent from months of working hard to support the weight of her magnificent seed head, and the frail crisp leaves dangling from her stalk offer hints of their past glory.
The Japanese term, 'Wabi Sabi' comes to mind... the beauty in imperfection.
You can find it everywhere you look...