Tournesol: A Turn Towards the Sun

Madison Markets Antiques and Interiors, Madison, GA

Summer 2020

Tournesol is the French word for sunflower which means, quite literally, to turn towards the sun. For many of us, traveling is a form of tournesol — a journey to rediscover what nourishes and sustains us. We turn towards inspiration imbued in new landscapes and towards sensuality and beauty - two things the French happen to do so well.

In a world that sometimes feels dark, the sunflower remains a beacon of optimism and hope. During the pandemic of 2020, we were unable to travel, yet it forced us to confront what we love most about travel: the chance to slow down, abandon daily routines, and live more fully in the present moment. Here, we are invited to rediscover simple pleasures forgotten in the rush of everyday life — the sound and taste of a freshly cracked nut, dappled sunlight through the trees.

TournesolI stand in front of a sea of open-faced sunflowers positioning themselves towards the sun. Thousands upon thousands of flowers set with the same intention:to receive light.Call it God, the Divine, the Universe, her intelligence is present i… — **Tournesol, 2019**

AmnesiaSunbathing under the bouquet of a fig tree,the heat on my skin,the smell of the animal in the cheese,tapenade on today’s bread.- - - -Lavender, verbena, apricot… landscapes on my tongue.Forgetting one’s entire life up until this very momen… — **Dusk in Bonnieux, 2019**
AMNESIA
Sunbathing under the bouquet of a fig tree,
the heat on my skin,
the smell of the animal in the cheese,
tapenade on today’s bread.
Lavender, verbena, apricot… landscapes on my tongue.
Forgetting one’s entire life up until this very moment.
-
Sometimes we travel great distances to forget. Some people call it getting away. I call it coming back.

FullI leave each place with the sensation of being full. Like after the perfect meal, when one bite satisfies all matter of sense. This satisfaction comes from the layers of history embedded in the stones, the provenance in each dish, the terroir of… — **Full**
I leave each place with the sensation of being full. Like after the perfect meal. This satisfaction comes from the layers of history embedded in the stones, the provenance in each dish, the *terroir* of place — notes played in unison on the palate. Waiters seem to ignore us, but they are simply giving time and space to savor the experience and soak in the atmosphere. There is no hurry.

Perfection in NatureI walk through gardens shaped by the hands of man -- nature’s wildness tamed into perfect orbs and other geometries. I wonder, is man taming the wild or is he trying to replicate the perfection found in her?For ten days I do not … — **Perfection in Nature**
I walk through gardens shaped by the hands of man -- nature’s wildness tamed into perfect orbs and geometries. I wonder, is man taming the wild or is he trying to replicate the perfection found in her?
For ten days I do not see billboards or fast food signs. Instead, I see golden ratios and Fibonacci numbers.
As I grow older, I seek these landscapes more and more. I crave views that are free of the visual clutter of modern life and the residue of capitalism. Perhaps this is why we come here -- to escape our frenetic world. Technology and noise take a toll on the nervous system. But nature? Nature is all about pattern, rhythm and order. Perhaps this is why we feel so calm and restored in her presence.
I think of man’s desire to develop the land – to build and build in the name of progress. Could progress now be a return to the stillness found inside a shady boxwood or the fury of a cicada’s song?

Walnuts (A Philosophy for Living)

Take your time

savor the moment

inhabit your body

taste the earth

smell the sun

resolve your differences

say I’m sorry

say I love you

live with animals

wink at the stars

climb more trees

bathe outside

touch the deep

receive the ground

have a ritual

claim a purpose

speak with flowers

exhale in color.

Everything is possible

Buvez Cafe, Athens, GA

Summer 2019

Social media can become a powerful tool for personal development and self-discovery. The way we curate our feeds — the people, images and ideas we surround ourself with — holds the potential for personal and collective transformation and growth.

This show brings the spirit of Instagram into a physical social space: the coffee shop. The four walls become a place for personal discovery, an opportunity for reflection, and a way to bump into new ideas, people and perspectives. It is a place for exchange, but also a place to feel imminently supported.

UprootThe first step is to uproot old beliefs. The ones you’ve been telling yourself for years that are barely perceptible because they live so close to the skin. There are mistruths you’ve been telling yourself. About your worth, your body, your ab… — **Uproot**
The first step is to uproot old beliefs. The ones you’ve been telling yourself for years that are barely perceptible because they live so close to the skin. There are mistruths you’ve been telling yourself. About your worth, your body, your ability to love and live richly. It’s not easy, this unraveling of the architecture of your life. Stories hold power, but they can also be re-written.
Start with one question: Is it true?

Thought ExperimentWhat ifyou spend tomorrow as if it’s your last on earth.What would you notice? What everydayness would seem miraculous?Like,how beautiful is fog.Droplets beaded on the window; the atmosphere made visible.How we are meant to disappe… — **Thought Experiment**
What if
you spend tomorrow as if it’s your last on earth.
What would you notice? What everydayness would seem miraculous?
Like,
how beautiful is fog.
Droplets beaded on the window; the atmosphere made visible.
How we are meant to disappear into the luscious air.

Still LifeSun streaming,new growth,small miracles,possibilities,stillness as a form of prayer.Basking in all things. — **Still Life**
Sun streaming,
new growth,
small miracles,
possibilities,
stillness as a form of prayer.
Basking in all things.

The Growing EdgeThe growing edge: where your sense of certainty and uncertainty meet. The outer bounds of your comfort zone stretched taut against the places that want to expand yet require you to walk the plank, walk in the dark, stand at the end o… — **The Growing Edge**
The growing edge: where your sense of certainty and uncertainty meet. The outer bounds of your comfort zone stretched taut against the places that want to expand yet require you to walk the plank, walk in the dark, stand at the end of your potential, and jump.

The Lens Through Which We SeeHow many ways can we find love in the world? — **The Lens Through Which We See**
How many ways can we find love in the world?

Tournesol: A Turn Towards the Sun

Madison Markets Antiques and Interiors, Madison, GA

Summer 2020

Everything is possible

Buvez Cafe, Athens, GA

Summer 2019

KINDRED Series

2022

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