Pushin’ Up Daisies
Newspaper, oil paint, oil pastel, and ink collage on paper 22x30
Pushin’ Up Daisies is a collage exploring the fleeting nature of life and the illusion of wealth and power. The piece depicts skulls buried beneath layers of dirt, flowers, trash, newspapers, and a crown, symbols of the material possessions we accumulate throughout our lives. As time passes, the skulls disintegrate and are forgotten, while the remnants of human belongings remain on Earth. Phrases like “man-made” and “the king sleeps in dirt, too” repeat throughout the piece, serving as reminders that status and power hold no meaning in the afterlife and we all return to the same place. The daisies breaking through the chaos represent life’s beauty and resilience, while the decaying petals scattered below remind us that even the most beautiful things are temporary, and their value lies in recognizing them while they last.
