Pretty in Pink

It’s spring, that cymbal-crashing, horn-honking, impossibly high note moment of the year when the Bergenia is blooming.

I began recording colors found in my garden in early 2018 in hopes of providing myself a moment’s reprieve and as a means to distract myself from my grief and exhaustion following the death of my dad and other family health and recovery challenges.

Today is the 4-year anniversary of this daily discipline. As I both glance back and look forward to the pub date of my new book, I’m marveling at the ways in which this practice has changed me. Focusing on fragments of beauty in nature has introduced an expansiveness to the way I see the world. Ever resistant to assuming the mantle of “artist,” nevertheless I’ve begun to view each little square as a miniature landscape painting of a tiny piece of nature.

Words like “tiny,” “little,” and “miniature” may describe a tentative approach, but in fact this practice has enlarged my life in countless ways. I am so very grateful. I can’t wait to share my story with you.

(You’ll find all of my daily posts and garden musings here on Instagram.)

Hello World!

Along with hundreds of tulips planted in my back garden last fall in anticipation of the day, Color In and Out of the Garden arrives on April 26, 2022! For those of you who have preordered your copy, I sincerely thank you for believing in this project—see below for a special offer. 

If you happen to be in the greater Seattle area, I hope you’ll join me for a book launch celebration.

Click! owners John and Frances Smersh have followed and supported my color practice from the early days and I’m thankful for the invitation to celebrate at this much-loved retailer in the heart of our West Seattle neighborhood. As I’ve mentioned before, my book is dedicated to the memory of my dad, Gary Ray Edwards. I’m dedicating our May Day celebration to Frances who died last fall, far too soon, from complications of Younger Onset Alzheimer’s Disease. 

I hope to see you! There will be books, flowers, treats and an installation of my original color studies marking my “Accumulation of Days."

Thank you for indulging my very enthusiastic (and so very PINK) letter this month.

I’m so glad you’re here,

xo
Lorene

For those of you who preordered your book through another vendor, show me your order confirmation and I’ll send a packet of goodies your way. Simply reply to this email and along with your receipt make sure to include your physical address and phone number. 

Recent writing: “The Mushroom Color Atlas” GROW in The Seattle Times
Artist, farmer and florist Julie Beeler cultivates color in myriad ways.

Reading: “Grow Now, How we can save our health, communities, and planet—one garden at a time” by Emily Murphy

Find this book, along with a selection of my favorite authors and titles in my a handmade garden Bookshop

Gratitude: Thanks to your orders of the Supporting Ukraine print, so far I’ve been able to donate $500 to World Central Kitchen, #chefsforUkraine, a community that’s come together to feed and comfort a nation under siege.