Bouquet of Persephone: Flora and Fauna

 The Bouquet of Persephone series is a celebration of nature and mythology. It includes a series of illustrations that explores classic Greek gods, along with significant flora and fauna described in their origin myths.

A large portion of my research for imagery comes from classic Grecian Mythology. I am enamored with storytelling and the fantastical realm, which in turn drives my reinterpretations of mythological themes and figures

The Title Piece is the center of gravity for this collection of images and features the story of Persephone, a young girl abducted by the god of the underworld, Haides. In her absence, her mother Demeter, the goddess of the harvest fell into despair, which in turn caused the earth to grow cold. Haides agreed to allow Persephone to return to her mother, but tricked her into eating a pomegranate, which bound her to the underworld. When Demeter and her daughter were reunited, the Earth flourished with vegetation and color, but for some months each year, when Persephone returned to the underworld, the earth once again became a barren realm. This is an origin story to explain the seasons. 

These stories of the gods along with my fascination with nature has inspired me to explore the relationship between figures in these gods and goddesses stories as well as plants of the natural world and animals that live amongst them.