Within memory, I see images, symbols of what has surrounded me throughout my life. My mother was initially a textile designer in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. She eventually began painting flowers and received a certificate in botanical illustration from the Bronx Botanical Gardens. I believe she began painting flowers because she appreciated the natural beauty of this world but also because my father was a distributor of fresh cut flowers. He worked in this business since his late teens, beginning in Germany. When he moved to the US permanently as he had married my mother, he was responsible for expanding the cut flower market in the States. He always had flowers to bring home from work- Casablanca lilies, Thai orchids, parrot tulips, roses, and any other flower you might imagine. When my parents passed on in 2023 and 2024, I began to paint these images as a literal way to connect with them and to carry on the tradition, to feel close to them, and to be more in touch with the beauty around me. These are some examples of recent paintings; the series is called Ghost Flowers and started in 2024, to reflect on personal history, witnessing illness and passing, and the afterlife. I’m still painting them, and there is more to come.