Susan Costello

Peony pronounced Mudan in Mandarin means " Spring Flower". For over 1300 years the tree peony has been growing on hillsides in China. And China is the motherland of almost all of the garden peony varieties in the United States. Hybrids grown today originally came from stock plants brought from China to Europe and to America in the 18th c.

For the last three years, I have been documenting the majestic Peony during their short-lived blooming period (2-3 weeks in late May and early June).  During this time, I am compelled to photograph every Tree and Herbaceous variety I come across. If there exists a blooming sample of the flower in the neighborhood, a friend's garden or on my way to work, I know when it will appear. Discovering new hybrids and observing the stages of the Mudan continues to be an endlessly fascinating subject for my work.

“Peony Heaven” is a photographic series of sublime mediations of the Ancient Chinese flower. The collection depicts a number of Peony cultivars throughout their spectacular, ephemeral season from blossoming to fading. In each image, I chose to focus on the exquisite, exuberant nature of the flower.

I am an avid gardener and find immense joy and serenity in both tending to flowers and photography gardens.

~Susan Costello

 "The frenzy of the Peony in China reached a phenomenal magnitude during the 7thc Tang Dynasty. During bloom time, the whole city was aroused and agitated, frocking in large numbers to wherever there is a Peony flower. The people from all walks of life, rich, poor, emperor and peasant had only one thing in mind in late spring that was  "Peony". The flower became so popular and yet so expensive that ordinary folks could not afford them and for those lucky ones who could, they would forgo other expenses in order to possess just one of these admirable flowers." ... Chinese Scholar: Philip Ma

Biography

Susan Costello has been an artist and elementary art teacher since graduating from Massachusetts College of Art in 1990. Her interest in photography began with various international art and education programs which started abroad in Crete, Greece; then led to graduate school with New York University in Venice, Italy; and also includes an intensive teacher/travel program to China.

Along with her extensive library of travel images and pictures of famous art museum collections that she shares with her art students, is an enormous collection of photos documenting her young student artists’ at work making art.

Her exhaustive collection of botanical photography began with the need to just relax and record nature… gardens and flowers. “Peony Heaven a Photographic Collection” is Susan’s first solo exhibition.

 

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