Final Frost

Between two majestic mountains surrounded by their brother mountains for miles lies a glacier. Deep in a crevice on this glacier grows a small cluster of flowers up out of the ice. Sparse green leaves are the only color coming from these plants. Their blooms are various shades of grey and white. Some of their petals drip as begin to melt toward the end of this final frost.

I had two main inspirations for this piece. The first was Barbara Grainger‘s Willow Winter. I loved that she could create so much depth and detail using just one color, and a color as blank as white. My other inspiration was the up coming winter in the Midwest. Although white is often considered the winter color, grey is much more predominant during our winter months. The sky is grey with clouds, the roads grey from dried salt, fields a frozen brownish grey, sidewalks a blueish grey. Everything is muted and dulled with grey, which can be a source for the winter blues. My goal was to see if I could use this color that can depress so many and use it to make some beautiful flowers.

I decided not to make the bouquet very full. They grow out of ice from the glaciers, they aren’t going to be green and lush. They were meant to me petite and hopefully somewhat elegant. The complete piece stands 12 inches tall, and with the icicles about 9 inches wide.

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