Yellow Bike Art Series Part I: Creating with Flowers and 120 Film
FAREWELL TO MY YELLOW BIKE
CELEBRATING 13 YEARS OF MILESTONES & MEMORIES IN AMSTERDAM
If you’ve followed along with my Amsterdam journey, then you know that my beloved yellow bike was the true star of the show. We were often spotted moving through the city and if I had a Euro for every time someone texted me, “Hey Lil! I saw you pass by on your yellow bike today!” Then, I could probably afford to buy an overpriced apartment in Amsterdam by now.
My yellow bike was there from the very start, circa 2009. She was part of every wild adventure, challenge, and milestone that unfolded as I built my life along the canals. Over the years, I did everything I could to keep her going, piecing together new parts like Frankenstein until she finally reached the point of no return. Most Amsterdam bikes don’t make it past a few years, so I swelled with pride, to brag that I’d kept my bike going for over a decade! A testament to my commitment of always locking up properly… even on tipsy evenings.
Eventually, her time in the sun came to an end. Material things wear out so of course I’d need a new bike at some point but when the seat stem snapped in half mid-ride I had a feeling it our time was over. Sure, it’s only a sentimental loss, but I loved my bike the same way your uncle loves his classic ‘66 Mustang. We had endless adventures and stumbled over a few potholes along the way.
This photographer series is also a tribute to my younger self. I first moved to Amsterdam at age 23, so we grew up together. My bike not only moved me around town but from my early 20s well into my 30s, she represents important formative years building an indepdenent life in Amsterdam. Saying, ‘dikke doei’ to my yellow bike closed a long chapter.
I always knew that I wanted to produce a personal photography project about my bike to commemorate our whimsical memories. It was a grey, drizzly summer day when I picked up a bouquet at my local florist. I loaded my Rolleiflex 2.8F with Fuji Pro 400H and played around with my Fuji Instax too. Capturing this project on discontinued film felt fitting as the end of an era. I’m happy how they came out and plan to print these to hang on the wall.
Good news: My bike hasn’t ended up in the junkyard quite yet. Stay tuned for part two when I collaborated with a local artist to create an installation.
But first, here’s our story…
THE STORY OF MY SUNSHINE BIKE
When I first arrived to Amsterdam for a gap year, I was moonlighting as Mary Poppins, peddling children to the park and playground in a clunky bakfiets. Cycling is a core part of Amsterdam life, so I quickly adapted and know I wanted an authentic Dutch bike to take back to Florida as a souvenir of my time abroad. Well… that first year came and went, and my yellow bike never left Amsterdam. As it turns out, neither did I.
As a Florida gal, I chose a bike that would splash a dose of sunshine on Amsterdam’s overcast days. Plus, the yellow model was cheaper than the green one, so I did as the frugal Dutch do and snagged the goedkoop (good deal) at De Fietsfabriek for €450. Little did I know she'd last over 13 years, that’s just 34 bucks a year. Turns out, my bike was the ultimate goedkoop haha!
I naively moved here in winter, so by spring, I decorated her with floral accessories, and our adventures began. Curious to cycle beyond my daily route, my omafiets and I often ventured to nature areas like the Amsterdamse Bos, Twiske, Vinkelveen, and even as far as Haarlem and the dunes at Bloemendaal.
All photos of me were taken by Saray; thanks for helping with this special project!
MY RIDE OR DIE
This yellow bike was my sidekick through the highest highs to the lowest lows. She helped me move in and out of dozens of apartments and traveled tens of thousands of kilometers. I built my career with this bike, she took me to my first writing gig at Time Out Amsterdam, numerous photoshoots, and eventually to the Chamber of Commerce to register my freelance business. She was there for birthday parties, visits with my mom, girls' nights, awkward dates, and after late nights, she brought me home safely along the quiet, glittering canals. During the really tough times, she was my escape, and we stumbled around together as I rebuilt my life independently and came into adulthood. She got me to class on time and brought me to my Master’s graduation ceremony. She met nearly every person I ever crossed paths with during my first 13 years in Amsterdam and was there during my first date with my partner in the summer of 2020. My bike was the only constant as I navigated all the inconsistencies of building a life abroad on my own.
And suddenly, she was kapot. I needed a moment to grieve, celebrate our journey, and then let her go. Because life keeps moving forward and now a new bike will carry me into the next chapter of adventures. The end of an era is the start of a new one. Her strong steel frame represented the strength and tenacity that I needed to get through this crazy Amsterdam adventure.
THE MARKS THAT OUR STORIES
My bike bears the scuffs of taking the road less traveled. Her rusty patina spots are unique and beautiful, representing the bumps and bruises left behind by experiences in Amsterdam that shaped me over the years. Healed scars give context to our stories. Despite her weathered exterior, my bike’s strong steel frame embodies the endurance I needed to navigate life in Amsterdam on my own.
My bike was often decorated with floral motifs so, I chose to decorate and photograph her one last time before she went off to the junkyard. Flowers are a recurring theme in my artwork, I’m connect to them as a symbol of growth, transformation and resilience, elements that represent all I’ve gone through on my Amsterdam journey so far. Flowers are a sign of celebration, they emit positivity, reminding us to cherish the present and appreciate the fleeting moment.
Though a flower’s bloom fades, it brings so much joy during its brief existence, a reminder that life is magical in its simplicity.
