Barbara Gilson

Artist Statement

My natural curiosity and wonder with plants in my garden were the inspiration for this work. As I continue to collect flowers, herbs, ferns, vegetables, leaves, needles, seeds, and roots, I find myself paying more attention to many tiny moments in the garden amidst the greater drama. Some plants I have gathered at the height of their radiant splendor, others as they decay and disintegrate, beautiful in their decline. And still others, the seed heads forming and drying toward their final transformation, bring the hope and promise for the next cycle of seasons. In acknowledging a long established tradition of preserving botanical specimens, it is my hope that each of these photographs honors the integrity of the plant. The digitally derived patina and artifacts in the pictures are additions intended to resonate with the spirit of the subject. As a gardener, herbalist, and photographer, I am intrigued and fascinated by all I continue to glean as I pay attention in these worlds. In working to capture the fragile beauty of the plants, I am captivated by the surprising serendipity found in nature and the photographs.

Barbara Gilson | Portland, OR

---