FLOWERING SURPRISES OF WINTER
Asphodelus fistulosus, the onionweed, was one of the first blooming surprises of my winter in Andalucia. It sprang up in my path during one of my morning walks on a nearby hill at the end of January. In February, a big part of the hill became decorated with white, striped little flowers growing from long, smooth stems. As a result, my fascination and enchantment was increasing with time, as those flowering bushes, growing up above the level of my knees, were spreading around and announcing their victory. They continued blooming for a few more weeks, to change into even more intriguing forms and make me listen to their stories.
Asphodelus fistulosus
I created this work during my stay in Andalucia. Impressed by the abundance and power of plants coming into flower in the winter, I wanted to precisely describe their forms. Therefore, the drawing shows the blossoming plant as well as the process of shedding blossoms. I was especially surprised by the dense bush of long leaves surrounding the plant, so dense you can easily get tangled up with it when walking.
Moving on (a fragile thread)
This work was created recently, looking back at my memories and photos from Andalucia. I was inspired by the Asphodelus fistulosus at the stage of shedding blossoms. During that process, the flower has separated from its stem and now is hanging above the ground. Consequently, It looks as if it is hanging in the air by itself. However, it is not falling down because it is suspended from a very thin cobweb and supported by the flower situated lower down. Those two helpers are very fragile and cannot be supports for long. Nevertheless, they help the falling flower in its journey as long as they can.
Moving on is a story from my own life which I noticed when looking at the travelling flower of onionweed. For the past few years I’ve been “moving on” very often and trying to survive in different countries as I go, without stable ground beneath my feet. I didn’t fall down in large part thanks to the kindness and simple help of people whom I met on my way.
There are many stories hidden in the tangle of plants. They talk about each of us just like books and films do. It’s just a matter of observation, reflection and a little bit of imagination.
LEARN MORE
If you would like to learn more about the project Plants of Andalucia, you are welcome to read previous posts here and follow my work in process on Facebook. Furthermore, I invite you to visit my Etsy shop where you can buy my artworks.
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