Sara Lynne Lindsay
Most Flowers We See Are Weeds; She is Worried That I'll Overlook the Beauty of the Place
Submitter Statement:
I am not a gardener. I have planted many flowers in the ground and pots, and with much help from the sun and rain, nature takes over. My flowers grow, and so do the weeds. Gardeners orchestrate a yard with little to no weeds, curating the growth happening in the soil. My garden, my grass, and cracks in the walkways all have weeds. I have lived in my house for three springs now and can anticipate what will grow. I love a well-manicured garden, but I also love the weeds.
In Shkodër, Albania, a woman is said to be buried alive in the castle walls. Legend has it that for the walls to remain a stronghold, someone needed to offer themselves for a sacrifice for the next generation. A mother volunteered. Saddened that she would not be able to raise her child, she asked that one arm be left out to rock her child, her breast to feed her baby, and an eye to see them grow up. If you visit the castle today, you'll see flowers pouring out of the cracks of the walls. The untamed beauty is dripping with gorgeous, uncurated weeds. They grow because they have enough nourishment in a small space and find their way to the sun. They grow because they see the light.
During college, I was able to gather flowers from beautifully curated gardens, ones fallen from trees, and those in neglected lawns. I gathered an abundance of flowers and wove them into my artwork. In all circumstances that I have been in, I have observed, collected, preserved, and shared my understanding of these products of light. In doing so, I can grow wherever I am found and share my knowledge of how the Father of Light cares and nourishes His children.
Entry Description:
Most Flowers We See Are Weeds; She is Worried That I'll Overlook the Beauty of the Place
26 x 36 inches. Pressed flowers, plants, and weeds harvested from the artist's garden, wax, cheesecloth, and wood. 2025.
This work features flowers and weeds harvested from my garden. Each piece was pressed and encased in wax. The title of the work is derived from a comment made by my daughter during a trip to Albania and Kosovo. Worried that I would only see unkempt gardens and weeds, she spoke of how most flowers we see are weeds; they grow naturally. She was afraid that I'd overlook the beauty of the place. Both countries were vibrant with flowers, springing up from wherever they could find light.