Medeola Virginica photo by Anna Atkins, 1853 more @ NYPL. Thank you, melisaki.

Medeola Virginica photo by Anna Atkins, 1853 more @ NYPL. Thank you, melisaki.

Laura Gilpin (1891-1979) “Iris,” from yama-bato

Laura Gilpin (1891-1979) “Iris,” from yama-bato

Harold Feinstein, Flower, Silhouette, 1977 Gelatin silver print, from arsvitaest.

Harold Feinstein, Flower, Silhouette, 1977 Gelatin silver print, from arsvitaest.

Robert Mapplethorpe from arsvitaest.
“A flower is relatively small. Everyone has many associations with a  flower - the idea of flowers. You put out your hand to touch the flower –  lean forward to smell it – maybe touch it with your lips almost without  thinking – or give it to someone to please them. Still – in a way –  nobody sees a flower – really – it is so small – we haven’t time – and  to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.. ..’So I said to  myself – I’ll paint what I see – what the flower is to me but I’ll paint  it big and they will be surprised into taking time to look at it – I  will make even busy New Yorkers take time to see what I see of flowers:  ‘Well – I made you take time to look at what I saw and when you took  time to really notice my flower, you hung all your own associations with  flowers on my flower and you write about my flower as if I think and  see what you think and see of the flower – and I don’t.”
— Georgia O’Keefe
Thank you, thisrecording

A flower is relatively small. Everyone has many associations with a flower - the idea of flowers. You put out your hand to touch the flower – lean forward to smell it – maybe touch it with your lips almost without thinking – or give it to someone to please them. Still – in a way – nobody sees a flower – really – it is so small – we haven’t time – and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.. ..’So I said to myself – I’ll paint what I see – what the flower is to me but I’ll paint it big and they will be surprised into taking time to look at it – I will make even busy New Yorkers take time to see what I see of flowers: ‘Well – I made you take time to look at what I saw and when you took time to really notice my flower, you hung all your own associations with flowers on my flower and you write about my flower as if I think and see what you think and see of the flower – and I don’t.”

— Georgia O’Keefe

Thank you, thisrecording

the earth laughs in flowers.
e.e. cummings