Summer Roses 2014

"Summer Roses" was painted by Terri Kelly Moyers in the 20th century. The painting offers a portrait of a young girl surrounded by roses. Portraits of children often carry assumptions about innocence and potential, but this painting invites us to consider the complexities of girlhood. The roses become a background that softens the image. The subject's gaze is serene, but also subtly knowing, as if to suggest the quiet strength and self-awareness that young girls often possess, but that society overlooks. The choice to depict a young girl amidst the transient beauty of summer roses touches on themes of fleeting beauty and the delicate, yet resilient nature of youth. It encourages us to see beyond the surface of conventional representation and to recognize the profound depths within the seemingly simple image of a girl and her roses. It’s a gentle but firm declaration of presence, demanding a re-evaluation of how we perceive young women.