This is a photo of a clematis flower that quite by chance looks to me like an origami crane – a symbol of peace in Japanese culture. Even the petals are almost translucent like origami paper. I live right outside Washington DC and thought what an amazing message. There is a backstory to this photo too. I have been trying to grow my clematis flowers for years and they have refused to climb. This year is the first year “she” reached the top of the fence in my yard. I say “let her fly.”

When Life Imitates Art
- Photographer: Mimi Darmstadter
- Date: May 28, 2025
- Collection: Hope, Visions of Renewal Competition