Those who know the back story of my mum being blind and in a wheel chair in her later years and me taking her to the Rose Gardens to ‘smell the roses” might appreciate why I dedicated this series to her. It was also synchronicity when I was back visiting the gardens with my father and sister Stephanie a couple of years after her death, that this series was created. The day was very sunny and certainly not ideal for flower photography, so it had me become inventive as to how I could capture the essence of the roses in the bright sunshine.

But the challenge became the hero as I lay on the ground and found some roses that were looking down rather than up to photograph through the flowers with the back lighting behind. When I got home that night and looked at the images on my computer, I knew that the magic of nature, and in fact the soul of life itself, was what I was seeing hence the name of this series.

All the roses in this exhibition were photographed in situ at the Parnell Rose Gardens so it was fitting that when our ground floor space at our building diagonally opposite came available that I would exhibit them here.

What surprised me was how the light boxes are an ideal medium to show the work mimicking the suns rays and perfectly show the images as I shot them in camera. So at night the light boxes come into their own and light up in all nature’s magnificence as little jewels. I find having them at home is the most warming and comforting feeling when I came home to them on. I know that these images literally healed the enormous grief I have had for the loss of my mother just as nature intended.

Thank you for all those that have purchased the series and for those who came to support me and encourage me on this incredible journey.