I usually work in watercolor late at night when the rest of my house is asleep. The process is calm, quiet and results in just a few paint brushes and pickle jars of water to clean up.

In contrast, creating my Foundry Flowers begins with searching for metal items to repurpose.

I’m drawn towards vintage or common items that I can transform into flowers. A variety of tools, hardware, loud music, and safety gear is needed to bring these items together. It is a challenging but rewarding process requiring imagination, problem solving and patience and undoubtedly paint ends up everywhere.

It’s not just about making something beautiful, but about giving old, overlooked things a second life in a form that is unexpected.

But it’s the human connection, the shared moment when someone notices a familiar object used in one of my flowers, or when an illustration speaks to them. That instant of surprise, delight, and how these pieces spark memories, conversations, and connection, that reminds me of the power of community.