
Joy Bloom - Sunflowers; Finding Light in Every Season
Pamela HainingIn my latest Hope Garden newsletter I introduced 'Joy Bloom', a collection that celebrates the power of flowers to lift our spirits and connect our communities. We begin with perhaps the most optimistic bloom of all – the magnificent sunflower.
There's something magical about sunflowers that makes them impossible to ignore. Perhaps it's their towering height, those massive golden heads that nod gracefully in the summer breeze. Or maybe it's their faithful habit of turning to face the sun, as if reminding us that there's always light to be found if we know where to look.
When I first set about creating the Joy Bloom collection, I knew sunflowers had to be part of the story. Their natural geometry is a printmaker's dream - those spiralling seed heads following the Fibonacci sequence, the perfectly spaced petals radiating outward like rays of captured sunshine. Carving away from the lino to capture their essence, I found myself smiling at how these flowers seem to embody optimism itself.
Did you know that young sunflowers track the sun across the sky each day? They face east at dawn, following the sun's journey westward, only to reset overnight ready to begin again. There's something wonderfully hopeful about this daily dance - even on cloudy days, they know exactly where the sun should be.
My interpretation of the sunflower in the Joy Bloom collection celebrates this generous spirit. My linocut artwork captures that moment when a sunflower stands in its full glory, face turned toward the light, petals spread wide as if embracing the day. Whether displayed as wall art or sent as a notecard, it carries a message of hope and connection.
Even during the darkest of winter days, these sunny blooms remind us that light always returns. Like the sunflower, we can choose to turn our faces toward brightness, finding joy in each day's simple moments. After all, isn't that what flowers teach us - that beauty and hope are always growing, just waiting for their moment to bloom?