Artwork copyright Bet Borgeson. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Artwork copyright Bet Borgeson. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Nikkos and Stardust, 1997

Bet Borgeson
American (born 1940)

Location: North Star Elementary, Graham

About the Artwork

Nikkos and Stardust is a colored pencil drawing by artist Bet Borgeson. It is part of her body of work that uses flowers as symbols. These compositions reference 17th and 18th century Dutch still-life paintings of floral bouquets, in which each flower represents a moral lesson, truth, or quality. In this artwork, she focused on the arrangement of the flowers to suggest three life conditions. Borgeson notes, “The first of these is that shown by the flowers nearest their earth floor, which suggests a reality that is often harsh, uncompromising, and final. The second condition, shown by the flowers above them, is a willingness—sometimes combative, sometimes yielding—to join with ongoing forces. And the third condition, with lifting and lightened flower heads seeming almost to merge with the starry night sky, symbolizes hope and optimism.”

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Bethel School District.

About the Artist

Bet Borgeson creates richly detailed colored pencil drawings. She teaches art and has published several books on colored pencil techniques.