"The flower doesn't dream of the bee. It blossoms and the bee comes." (M. Nepo) To me this quote is about being yourself, the best version of yourself as *you* see it. To blossom where you are without chasing the things you hope for. Not worrying about who notices, but focusing on becoming who you are. When the bees move from flower to flower in my garden, each flower is blooming beautifully to its fullest without waiting or wondering or strategizing about the bee. Sometimes we can be too focused on chasing something or modifying ourselves to fit a desire, reach a goal, or please another person - whether it's a writer looking for an agent, an artist looking for a patron, a person looking for a partner, anyone seeking happiness, or meaning, or work, or love, or wealth. The flower is a beautiful reminder to bloom, to bloom the way that is most beautiful to you, and trust that the rest will come. The yellow flower here is a fennel flower, the purple is lavender, and the pink is a daisy- the bees love them all and I grow my garden for all the small beings that visit or call it home. During the summer months, the yellow fennel flowers are covered with bees- it's one of their favorites, and I love to hear the hum of the bees whenever I walk by. For this ceramic dish, I start with soft stoneware clay that I roll flat and then press leaves and flowers into it. After I press the plants into the clay, I remove them, revealing the intricate plant imprints. After forming the dish shape, I add the sculpted tiny bee. The texture on the bee wings is actually from a leaf! After the piece dries, I fire it in my kiln to firm the clay. Then I add color to the leaves using stains, and I add yellow and orange underglaze to the fennel flower. The piece is coated in glaze and fired a second time in the kiln, this time to a much higher temperature - over 2200 degrees F. This vitrifies the clay and melts the glaze to the glass/glossy surface you see. I add real gold overglaze to the piece by hand accenting the textured rim. I fire the piece a third time to melt and bond the gold to the ceramic. #claylove #arttherapy #createart #pottery #botanical - @vuvuceramics