This large body of photographic work in four parts was created between 1982-1995. Narrative in scope, it explores the manipulation of garden and floral imagery and includes the series Fertile Garden, Grave Marker, Sand Play and Plum Harvest.
Kaplan has always been spellbound by nature. “A sandy beach on the Oregon coast revealed a face, with stones for eyes. Grass in the backyard became a family. A fallen bird inspired a grave site, beginning with dandelions and building, through the summer, to a great mandala of flowers, fruit and seeds. A fertile old plum tree in my back yard resulted in a prodigious yield of images. Dandelions became a Torah.
“In the early to mid-eighties, I was seized with a desire to observe and photograph natural phenomena. Twenty-five years later, I continue to respond to the many mysteries and beauties that surround us. Groundwork is about the generosity of nature, the unpredictability of nature, the photography of nature, and the nature of photography.” — Nomi Kaplan