The blooms, my skin, and how my body understands its place in the Southern California landscape. Impressions from local flora that stay long enough to photograph, temporarily changing the tactility of my skin, mirroring what’s pressed against it. Reverence for the life this Tongva land brings forth.
I collect flora found in and around the mountains near my home. One way I get to know it is to press it to my skin, revealing the scent and outline of the plant.
I like to see what kind of marks are left on me—I have very sensitive skin so any little pressure or scratch leaves a painless, temporary welt. It’s due to a condition called dermatographia, which literally means ‘skin writing.’ This pressing doesn’t hurt, it actually feels good to share a moment with the plant’s beauty. I am reminded of the delicate strength of nature and the body.
With my dermatographia and the natural materials I gather, a photographic series called Bloom Back came to be. My skin blooms back at the plant pressed against it, offering some reflection and appreciation, seeing how bodies can echo their surroundings.
