A Love Letter in Bloom
When I finally made the trip alone, it wasn’t just to see a place—it was to feel her presence, to honor that unfinished chapter, and to find beauty in the aching silence she left behind. Painting this piece was not just an artistic act, but an act of mourning, remembrance, and love. I painted with the intention of preserving what words couldn’t say—the joy of the promise, the grief of its absence, and the peace that eventually followed.
A letter to AJ
A faux Stargazer lily decorated the shelves at the bar where we met, and you noted its identity and your fixation; in the aspirations of our conversations. When you brought me home, Easter lilies were decorated throughout your bedroom, complimenting the white orchid that was center stage of the contemporary decor. In one of my first attempts of affection for you, I transplanted Tawny Daylilies from the wilds of the valley where I grew up into the suburban yard that welcomed you each weekend. In front of one of Monet’s works of water lilies, we first exchanged the words “I love you” with one another. You wanted Royal Lilies to partner the echos of violins at our future wedding. There was a twinkle in your eye discussing your desire to visit a vast field of Avalanche Lilies in the mountains. It was Madonna Lilies I placed on the mound of your grave. The repeated significance of the flowers is why they were symbolically hosted in my home in troves for so long, and why a single white one was left to the lost soul that ignited my ambition to face my loss; in a sign of both of our gratitude and valedictions. I’ve hiked and traveled the world for you; to honor both of us. Nothing has tugged more at my heartstrings than as much as this mountainous view. So… Will you sit with me, with this spectacular sun setting view? One last time! …I painted these flowers for you, my dear. - Love, Ben
For collectors, Avalanche Lilies is more than a landscape. It’s a tribute to unspoken love, to memories that bloom even after loss, and to the power of art to hold space for grief and gratitude in the same breath. It’s for anyone who has ever carried someone in their heart on a journey they couldn’t take together—and found solace in honoring them anyway.
