Rare Roses
Series Statement
Rare Roses is a series of paintings inspired by roses with naturally occurring genetic abnormalities whose uncommon forms do not diminish their value. The flowers serve as metaphors for human difference, challenging cultural assumptions that equate sameness with worth and difference with deficiency.
The series originated in Nicole’s experience as a mother raising a son with a rare genetic condition. Witnessing how often difference is translated into diminished value shaped the ethical and conceptual foundation of the work.
At the center of the work is a simple proposition: difference does not diminish human value.
Research & Context
Roses, like humans, can exhibit naturally occurring genetic variations that alter their form. While developing the Rare Roses, Nicole consulted botanists and genetic researchers to better understand these unusual variations and the biological processes behind them. (You can learn more about rose variations here.)
Exhibitions / Collections
Rare Roses has been exhibited in academic, medical, and research settings, where its exploration of genetics, human difference, perception, and value intersects with lived experience. The series has been shown at the Greenwood Genetic Center and is held in permanent collections including Boston Children’s Hospital, Clemson University’s Center for Human Genetics, the University of Chicago’s Department of Human Genetics, the Medical University of South Carolina, and the Greenwood Genetic Center.
The original Rare Roses artworks are held in permanent collections. Nicole accepts select commissions for new works that extend the series. Limited-edition fine art prints are also available for select projects.
