Sharing the Gifts V
Iris are one of my favorite flower to paint- I am drawn to the delicate details of their petals; countless hues, veins and scalloped edges. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, which refers to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species.  I grew up hearing my mother refer to them as flags.

Years ago, as a thoughtful gift, my husband told me to grab my camera and took me to an Iris farm where thousands of colored petals blanketed a very large area.  I took many pictures of the beauties in all their grandeur; so many colors.  The farmer of these Iris gave us a few bagfuls of bulbs before leaving- quite a lovely gesture.  These bulbs are now growing in the flower gardens of both our mother’s….share the gifts. 

The Scherenschnitte adds another dimension, much like lace detail, and flows horizontally across the vertical Iris creating a balance or harmony.  The paper cutting is exciting for me because it’s enjoyable and tells the viewer more about my heritage, Pennsylvania Dutch; my people lived along the Rhine River in Germany and chose Pennsylvania to make their new home because the landscape was so much like the Old Country.