i had absolutely no qualms admitting i wanted to be the heroine of the story.

hot-blooded, unashamed.

to walk out on that stage as sleeping beauty - BEAUTY embodied - in a long silky dress covered in roses.

to be witnessed, seen in my radiance, desired, admired.

i could just picture me in a long flowy dress covered in pink roses. not painted, but real roses. the wild ones bursting with aliveness atop the red gate of my grandmother’s house - pinned to the white silk, a flurry of them, a whole storm of tiny pink roses.

i was 5 and angry. not being chosen - a wound so fresh it was pulsating hot. and the anger would not be buried.

it would bloom into art.owning the gift of the maiden so fully.

rose medicine opens the heart.

*the thing about plant medicine is - it reminds us of who we are.

one of 30 mixed media paintings in the series “under the giant trees” inspired by plant medicine and nature friends.

amongst the delectable textures of these paintings, you will find ethereal glimpses of tea, roses, poppies, cannabis, mushroomiez of all kinds, spider webs, chamomile, crows, antlers, and more.

20 inch by 20 inch

mixed media on cradled wooden board