April 11th 2025 | DAF

Almond Trees in Spring | Bruno Zupan, 2023

I’m a sucker for an unfinished edge in art. I wonder if there is some sort of deeper meaning to be taken from that. Maybe this is some sort of subconscious metaphor that even in final form, I am always a work in progress. Or maybe, I just think it looks cool. Either way, I’m always draw to works of at like this that give a peak behind the curtain in some sense. When art has an unfished or raw nature, I feel like I am able to better understand the artist’s process and intentions.

Beyond the presentation, I am captivated by the subject matter of blossoming florals taking over entire trees. Looking at this makes me wonder if I have been severely underestimating the season of Spring. Maybe 2025 will be the year I finally appreciate how great spring is. A Spring awakening if you will.

I think in the past I have always drudged through spring in anticipation of Summer or just mentally entered the summer mind-set as soon as it hit 65 degrees and tried to pretend Spring didn’t exist in hopes of having a sort of double Summer. I never really paused to take in all the joys that are specific to spring. Spring is more than just the opening act to summer. Opening act is a good way to put how I used to imagine Spring. With an opening act at a concert, I go into it just hoping to know/enjoy a select few songs, but ultimately all my thoughts are ahead with the upcoming headliner. Those handful of hits from the opening act are comparable to spring days where I can sit tanning by a pool and maybe even taking a dip.

But Spring has so much to offer by itself. Summer is controlled by bright vibrant greens, but spring has an entire rainbow of colors that appear that much more beautiful when they are blooming from what was the dull and barren trees of winter. Spring is visually a beautiful time of year, but is also equally beautiful in it’s symbolism of new beginnings. 2025 is the year of sitting in Spring for as long as possible. Life is not a race to get to Summer. Let Spring guide you into Summer.