These photos are about calm freedom, soft freedom, the freedom that we all have within. As the peonies take deep breaths in the water, you should too. Let their petals take you out to sea and inspire you to find freedom in your daydreams. 

As I captured these peonies floating in beds of water, I kept thinking of The Black Sea. One of Earth’s saltiest seas, it’s incredibly easy to float upon. I spent my childhood summers on its shores. The peonies’ beautiful blossoming faces, turned up towards the camera, remind me of my own little face as I used to drift in the water, making turtles and daisies out of clouds. There’s something incredibly freeing about flotation - isolated from gravity, sound, touch... everything but your thoughts - it’s easy to get lost in a daydream. 

I always felt restored after a day in Terchirghiol basking in the therapeutic mud and swimming for hours. I wanted to capture that same feeling here. Water is a great unifier of life - it’s beautiful, cleansing, soothing - and it has a powerful effect on both humans and flowers. I believe adding water to my art increases the depth of the image, adding subtle layers of life essence to each petal. Not only does it give life and vibrancy, I like to think it softens us and imparts ease. 

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