The rose, a symbol of purity, passion, heavenly perfection and earthly passion, has a rich and ancient history.  The ancient Greeks and Romans identified the rose with the goddess of love, Aphrodite (Greek name) and Venus (Roman name).   Rose means pink or red in a variety of languages (such as the romantic languages and Greek).   In my mind a single red rose given to a woman I love (or my goddess) is the inspiration for my mask.