Artist Statement

The Worth of Weathered Petals explores the beauty of aging and how we gain knowledge over time. I chose to express this idea through a poem, which at first I decided not to include the written poem within the book itself, as I did not want to distract viewers from the handmade, sensory elements that carry the meaning. However, I eventually included the poem at the end of the book because I felt it conveyed my message most clearly.

The cover is made with real flowers rather than torn book pages. As the flowers naturally dry, decay, and lose their petals, they gradually reveal what lies underneath—symbolizing how knowledge and understanding emerge through the process of aging. Through this work, I also reflect on societal norms surrounding aging, even though these ideas are not directly stated in the poem. While creating this piece, I thought about phrases like “black don’t crack,” the use of Botox, and the ways youth is valued in certain spaces.

The materials I used are primarily paper-based, along with elements that connect to my grandmother, who was a significant influence in my life. She embraced aging and often shared positive, even after she moved away, she would send me a partially completed scrapbook for me to finish and return. Because of this, I chose to leave some pages blank in this book, echoing that shared process and allowing space for continuation. In this way, the work reflects both memory and absence, while holding onto the connection we shared, even though she is no longer here.