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Pink Dahlia

$175.00

Seattle, Washington

Growing up on the east coast, I don't really remember noticing dahlias in people's gardens.  In colder regions, they need to be dug up and brought in for the winter, so I guess that's why they weren't as common.

When I first moved to Seattle, I had a lot of fun discovering all of the farmer's markets, from the famous Pike Place Market, to smaller, local markets.  One thing that I kept seeing over and over were buckets and bouquets of dahlias EVERYWHERE!  The more I learned about them, the more enamored I became.  Tulips had always been my favorite flower, and even though I still love them, dahlias have become my favorite, ever since I discovered them!

Fun Facts:

  • Western explorers discovered dahlias growing wild in Mexico in the 16th century
  • They are the official flower of Seattle and San Franciso
  • The official national flower of Mexico
  • The tubers are apparently edible (although I don't know from personal experience!)
  • Blooms can grow up to 1 foot in diameter
  • Signify sentiments of dignity and elegance, and are a symbol of a commitment and bond that lasts forever
  • No one has been able to cultivate a blue dahlia
  • Marie Antoinette was enamored by dahlias
  • They belong to the aster family, along with daisies and sunflowers

Process And Size Guidelines

I handcraft each piece in my home studio, located just outside of Kansas City, MO.

Most of the photos I use were taken by me on my travels near and far.    I review each photo, looking for striking colors and strong structural elements.    If you think of the entire design as a pie, I am looking for a perfect “slice” of pie within the picture.  Once I find it, the slice is mirrored and repeated in a circular fashion to create the whole pie, i.e. the kaleidoscopic design.

 

The design then is printed multiple times onto photo paper and I hand cut different elements from each copy of the design with scissors (yes, scissors!). After the cutting is done, I reassemble the pieces into tiered layers separated by foam core, creating the unique three-dimensional kaleidoscopic effect.  Finally, I mount the piece onto mat board and frame it in a shadow box, adding a small copy of the original photo to the piece.

 

 

Each design is available in multiple sizes.  The larger the piece, the more layers the design will have, which gives you even greater depth and dimension.  The larger size also allows for more intricate cutting, providing more texture and more "wow"!

 

 Size
Outside Dimensions Inside Dimensions Frame Color
10x10
9.75" x 9.75" x 2" 9" x 9" x 1.5" Black
13x13
13.5" x 13.5" x 2.75" 12" x 12" x 2.25" Black
16x16
18.5" x 18.5" x 4" 16" x 16" x 3" Custom made reclaimed cedar with museum quality plexiglass front