Kathy Harmon-Luber’s photography exhibit “Dream Blossoms: Dreams Blossom” opens on Saturday.
Photo by David Johnson

Overcoming set-backs is often a journey of transformation and such is the case with prolific artist Kathy Harmon-Luber. Her new photography series titled “Dream Blossoms: Dreams Blossom” features a glistening array of flowers in multiple stages of unfoldment. An Art Alliance of Idyllwild Artist of the Year and Idyllwild Deer artist, Harmon-Luber was weakened and rendered bedridden for 18 months resulting from a ruptured disc in her back.

“One evening on his way home from teaching, my husband Ken bought me a gorgeous bouquet of richly coral-colored roses,” Harmon-Luber recalls. Recognizing that I couldn’t hold the camera for long, I pulled out my dusty tripod, mounted my camera so as not to stress my fragile back, and I began to ‘shoot’ them. Well, I’ve been taking photos of flowers since I was 16 years old … but never with the passion, intensity and inspiration of continual discovery that I’ve found in exploring the world of blossoms today!

“So, the adventure began. Joy returned to my soul. I felt like, after over a year of suffering, I was beginning to see a wee bit of my old self return. And my dreams began to blossom via exploration of these dreams.”

You are invited to view the series and speak with Harmon-Luber at the opening reception from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 21, at Artspresso, 54380 North Circle Drive. The exhibit runs though early fall.