Scent of Austin 01312025

Scent of Broqpa Broqpa is the name of a small village in Nepal. Ziesook first learned of it from a TV documentary, The Last Empire. Ziesook was moved by what she learned about a small village located at the end of the Silk Road in Nepal named Broq-pa. In Broq-pa, the symbolic meaning of flowers is very special. In the Nepalese culture, flowers symbolize love, happiness, and appreciation for God. Broq-pa’s women are committed to growing flowers in their garden and decorating their hair with flowers every day. Ziesook wanted to incorporate this traditional symbolism from Broq-pa into her work and into her own life. She believes that this ephemeral medium, the flower, can carry a piece of happiness into people’s lives. Ziesook’s desire to share the spirit of Broq-pa with people through her artwork was the inspiration for her series, Scent of Broq-pa. The first work in the Broq-pa project began in 2016 with floral portraits of her twin daughters. Ziesook is continuing the series by exploring floral portraits of seniors, single mothers, people from multicultural backgrounds, and different age groups. Ziesook’s art form always involves communication with the subject. She strives to have her work project the individual’s personality. Ziesook’s goal is to create an intimate visual that incorporates multiple layers of meaning. By experimenting with various media and combining fresh flowers and dry flowers, Ziesook creates an image with characteristics that lie somewhere between photography and painting. ⚫Texas wildflower project – After moving to Texas, one of the first things I did was go out and collect some of the state's wildflowers. I was drawn to the sea holly, lace flower, bluebonnet, Indian paintbrush, and pink evening primrose in particular. This project is a great way to celebrate the beauty of Texas and raise awareness about the importance of preserving its natural treasures.