The Language of Flowers
Every week I
paint with a wonderful group in Deerfield Township. The local arts council
started by Meredith Raffel began just about the time I started painting again,
so we’ve been painting together for almost eight years.
This
September, the local outdoor Arts Festival, which has been on a Sunday at Mason
City Hall for the past several years, has been renamed Fallfair Arts Festival.
It will now be held at Cottell Park, at the intersection of Irwin-Simpson and
Snider Rds. And The Snyder House will feature an exhibit called “The Language
of Flowers,” all painted by people in this weekly painting group. The exhibit
will premiere at Mason Christian Village in mid June, which is why I’ve been
working on Azaleas.
Flowers, like
the chambered nautilus, are quite a departure for me: there’s not a straight line
in this painting! And I’m inspired, but confused, by the language of flowers. Sometimes
called floriography, (another ten dollar word for my vocabulary!) this was a Victorian-era
means of communication in which various flowers and floral arrangements were
used to send coded messages, allowing individuals to express feelings which
otherwise could not be spoken.
The nuances
of the language are now mostly forgotten, but red roses still imply
passionate, romantic love and pink roses a lesser affection; white roses
suggest virtue and chastity and yellow roses still stand for friendship or
devotion. Also commonly known meanings are sunflowers,
which can indicate either haughtiness or adoration.
So if you
sent me sunflowers, how do I know if you mean “haughtiness” or “adoration?” Is
wondering part of the thrill? Personally, I prefer more clarity. The original
language of flowers Meredith gave us for the exhibit listed the meaning of
yellow tulips as “hopeless love.”
Now, those of
you who know me well realize this fits. But the meaning I found on the Web for
yellow tulips is “there’s sunshine in your smile.” That is much more in line with
the emotion I think this painting communicates.
As for
Azaleas, here are the various meanings. Which one do you think this painting
best conveys to viewers?
