“The best time to plant (a tree) was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” -Chinese Proverb

Directly related in a way to the Reclaimed: Roots piece, I am exploring the idea of portals and keys to the future through our relationship with nature. Whereas that one looks at nature overtaking manmade structures, this uses the metaphor of a doorknob or keyhole as a way into healthy soil futures.

I assembled the wood in a shape that feels like a cloud in the many forms it can be interpreted as. Then taking a sunflower seed from my garden… one that was actually split open in the soil as seed became zygote became embryo became seedling, then rose up higher than my head… I added gold leaf as reverence and adoration, and hid it within the tiny space of the escutcheon where a door handle would go.

It takes patience and curiosity to see the seed. Just as it takes patience and curiosity to grow. But ultimately, the growing is where the best things can happen.