Petals
The Petal Project
My Petal Project was one of the first ways I began to share my art with other survivors. My yellow rose petals are declarations created for the beautiful survivors who I have met along my journey.
I began creating yellow roses. and then the individual petals. Part of my creative process has been letting creations come to me, this was true for my yellow roses. I was then gifted a yellow rose and as it dried up the petals fell to the table. I picked one up and it fit perfectly between my thumb and first finger, it was soft, comforting. As I began creating them in the studio it occurred to me to put a declaration on it. In my healing work with Rachel Grant and the Beyond Surviving Program, I learned to rebuild my confidence and self-worth through declarations. These were different from affirmations because we acknowledged it was a process. In the beginning, I would say “I am in the process of becoming…..confident/strong. Or “I am in the process of believing I am….brave, courageous, etc.” We picked declarations based on what we needed in that moment. These have become part of my daily journaling.
One day I decided to look up the meaning of a yellow rose. I found this.
"Like the warm sun, gifting a yellow rose to a friend conveys warmth and affection and can be a great way to show your delight. Yellow roses also symbolize remembrance and a warm memory or a token of appreciation to another.”
The universe has spoken!
Each yellow ceramic rose petal I create is engraved with a declaration and represents those who have suffered childhood sexual abuse. The petals of support can be kept in a pocket or nearby. When needed the Survivors can physically feel the cool, smooth, solid intention reminding them, they are Strong, Brave, Worthy, Loved!! My yellow rose petals represent the friendship and care I have discovered on my journey.
My dream art installation would be a room full of ceramic yellow rose petals hanging from the ceiling. As you walk through they would connect and create a sound. Anyone who needed a petal could cut it down and take it with them.
You can gift a Yellow Petal to a survivor by selecting a declaration that best fits them. If you don’t see the declaration you need, you can simply request it and I will make it. For every petal purchased one petal will be donated to a survivor.
Do you know of an organization that supports survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse that would benefit from my Petal Project? Please let me know!
Email jkkirves@msn.com
Petals
You can gift a Yellow Petal to a survivor by selecting a declaration that best fits them. If you don’t see the declaration you need, you can simply request it and I will make it. For every petal purchased one petal will be donated to a survivor.
