The Flowers Speak
Impressions from a walk through a different kind of garden
Tucked away in an inconspicuous corner of Indianapolis lies a hidden gem of a gallery. The Edington, owned and operated by Telene Edington, sprang onto my radar when I heard about a show called The Language of Flowers. As an ardent floral enthusiast and art lover, I marked my calendar for the opening reception on Friday the 14th of June.
I honestly did not know what to expect. I am familiar with the larger art co-ops and galleries in the Indy scene, popular through their active social calendars. But lately I’ve been intrigued by the smaller, more intimate private galleries and their select curations of local talent. Never one to show fashionably late (as I love my strict midnight bedtime), my entourage and I were some of the first patrons to arrive.
I was immediately impressed by the light. Two windows filled the small interior with a soft natural glow, and it seemed almost absurd the way a sunbeam fell into the room, highlighting the central podiums and the sculptures they held. On the walls ceramic silhouettes, nearly all distinct and individual, lay dappled by handmade and painted flowers of all kinds. A veritable garden filled with characters each touched by the artist’s hand and heart. As I walked around the room, picking out my favorite of the portraits, a story tugged at my consciousness. Clearly these were familiar faces, made with very apparent care. Who were they, these immortalized vignettes so delicately formed?
The headline of the show was pulled from one particular series of side profiles with botanical drawings of various flowers painted against simple black and white backgrounds. Each flower carried a symbolic meaning, for example, dogwoods - love overcoming adversity, or magnolias - dignity, poise, and pride. Floriography is the name of this cryptic game, and in Victorian times, lovers would deliver bouquets of specific flowers to convey secret messages to their forbidden beaus. In Katrina’s work, there was a clear emotional significance to each flower and its corresponding portrait. But what exactly the message was, was between Katrina and Katrina herself.
It was a delightful show, full of mystery and intrigue and simple stunning craftsmanship. Something I greatly admire about art is its vulnerability - an artist can display her heart on the walls for the whole world to see, and yet still keep its deeper truth a secret. I could have asked Katrina why and who and what and when, but I think I prefer the mystery. The whole story was locked away, but the power of her simple yet emotional images gave me just enough to be satisfied. After all, a secret love is perhaps the greatest love, spoken in the language of flowers.
The Edington Gallery is located at 1495 N Harding St.
Open Saturdays 1-5pm or by appointment.
Follow Katrina on Instagram: @katrinajmurray