Flowers have long held symbolism. In the Victorian era, for instance, learning a bloom’s meaningful metaphor was a popular pastime and a physical way to express feelings that couldn’t be made public. But just as language evolves, so does the meaning of flowers. Now, as a whole, they evoke themes of beauty, strength, and resilience. Some florals grow despite harsh conditions, and others—annuals—bloom, wilt, and reappear year after year. Artist Jess Currier finds meaning in flowers and fuses them with portraiture, combining the human spirit and the inherent symbolism of beautiful blooms.
Currier’s dreamy oil paintings feature portraits of women donning knowing glances. They look like they’ve discovered something, or are coming to a realization that changes everything. The telling expressions are made more layered with her addition of flowers. Big blooms cloak the composition, obscuring her subject’s faces—but not totally. Currier overlays them on the skin with some transparency, as if she’s adjusting the opacity. We can see the people behind the flowers, and the message is that the two are one; the flowers’ symbols represent the women themselves. The result is poignant but ultimately optimistic and empowering. They can’t be kept down.
“In my darkest moments, I’ve returned to flowers as symbols of resilience,” Currier told My Modern Met in a 2025 interview, “of making the choice, again and again, to keep living, to keep finding beauty even when we know it’s fleeting.”
If you are a fan of her work, you can actually learn to paint from Currier. She loves teaching others and has two online courses; one is titled Intro to Oil Painting and her newest class is Expressive Portraits in Oil. “These courses are designed to guide you from the foundations,” she says, “into a more personal, expressive approach, helping you build skills, confidence, and a deeper connection with your work.”
To see what she’s creating next and for more news about her classes, follow Jess Currier on Instagram.
Artist Jess Currier finds meaning in flowers and fuses them with portraiture, combining the human spirit and the inherent symbolism of beautiful blooms.
Currier’s dreamy oil paintings feature portraits of women donning knowing glances.
They look like they’ve discovered something, or are coming to a realization that changes everything.
The telling expressions are made more layered with her addition of flowers.
Big blooms cloak the composition, obscuring her subject’s faces—but not totally.
Currier overlays them on the skin with some transparency, as if she’s adjusting the opacity.
We can see the people behind the flowers, and the message is that the two are one; the flowers’ symbols represent the women themselves.
The result is poignant but ultimately optimistic and empowering. They can’t be kept down.
