Fire and Ice: A Junior Self-Portrait Diptych by Peter Dyer (2013)

My first image was of a dying flower sprouting out of ice. This image represented the phrase in my poem ''sadness is chilling her like ice'' and represented the effect that sadness can have on a person. The flower in this shot was wilted and dying to represent how sadness can sap the energy and life out of a person. The Ice beneath the flower represents how cold and harsh surroundings can cause happiness inside someones soul to wilt like the flower in my photograph. I use this half of my diptych to illustrate how ''cold'' interactions with others can sadness and the inner flower within people to wilt.

My second image was of a vibrant red flower surrounded by ashes and burned wood. This image represented the phrase in my poem where I wrote ''I warmth has swept through the air'' and represents the power of kindness. The ashes in the photo represent how even though life is chaotic and dangerous, warmth and kindness from others will help life grow back from the ashes. The flower is a bright red color to symbolize rebirth from ashes and perseverance through hardships. This half of my dyptic represents how warmth from others will help people to shine through there obstacles and live their lives to the fullest.

My two images when put together contrast each other and show the two sides of the lesson I teach in my poem. Hostility towards others causes people to wilt and fail, while kindness allows them to flourish. This contrast is also represented by ice and ashes, representing cold and warmth as well as the placement of the two flowers in my dyptich. They are placed opposite each other to represent this contrast in my message.