Essentially this piece is inspired by the French love song "La Vie En Rose" (if you haven't had the pleasure yet, I've linked a clip below). Originally sung by Edith Piaf, it's a love story that depicts the way you feel when you fall in love. When everything around you is suddenly so much more beautiful and wonderful now you have someone to share it with. The sun shines brighter, the grass is greener, work days go faster and your annoying neighbours seem less annoying etc etc

The Original Photograph taken at Regents Park in London

Even though I've heard both the Edith Piaf and the myriad of English versions of this song a million times, it wasn't until one afternoon a few months ago (while listening to a random Spotify playlist) that I really absorbed the lyrics and the meaning behind the notes.
As with most inspiration I've found you have to be in the right time and right place for it to stick!

Directly translated to "life in pink", "La vie en rose" essentially means seeing life through rose-coloured glasses. Living with an attitude or outlook of positivity, trying to see beauty in the everyday; like you do when you first fall in Love.

So for months I had this phrase whirling around in my mind. I wanted to translate it into a work that I could hang in our home and remind me to always try and seek the beauty in every situation.
The pieces all fell into place after a weekend wander to Regents Park with my husband, Summer had just arrived in London, the roses were in bloom and I had my fave person by my side. All things that make me very happy. Of course the letters had to be pink and crumpling the blooms was an adaption of the idea from my "work of heart" series. A representation for creating something beautiful out of our mistakes, embracing the truth that things are rarely perfect and realising imperfection is often what makes something or someone so special in the first place.

The world can be a messy, exhausting place sometimes. The main stream media portrays humanity as almost the brink of armageddon, so much so you might be forgiven for thinking walking out your front door will end in disaster.
But there is beauty and truth and kindness to be found out there too. There's summer blooms, smiles from strangers, birthday cake, good books and favourite playlists, forehead kisses, travel and art.

I hope this piece serves as a little reminder to seek the good things, the beauty and the happiness. To embrace those crooked lines, torn edges and imperfections in life. To live "la vie en rose".

“Hold me close and hold me fast
The magic spell you cast
This is La Vie En Rose

When you kiss me heaven sighs
And though I close my eyes
I see La Vie En Rose

When you press me to your heart
I’m in a world apart
A world where roses bloom

And when you speak...angels sing from above
Everyday words seem...to turn into love songs

Give your heart and soul to me
And life will always be
La Vie En Rose”

— Genius.com

French to English Translation

Eyes which make me lower mine

a laugh that gets lost on his lips

this is the image without retouching

of the man to whom I belong

when he takes me in his arms

he speaks to me softly

and I see life through rose-coloured glasses

he tells me love words

everyday words

and that makes me shiver

he came into my heart

a piece of happiness

whose cause I know

he’s mine and I’m his

in this life

he told me it, he swore it for his life

and since I spotted him

I can feel inside me

my heart beating

nights of love without end

a great happiness has settled replacing

boredom, sorrow, phases

happy immensely happy