Back Again

So I kind of let this blog go for quite a long time. I had been looking for a new platform, then a new website, then I just got busy... and here we are. ( For now)

 Above: " Fine Day For A Swim"  Pressed flowers on canvas. The background is painted, the sea life is all pressed botanical materials.

This version of " The Lion King " was created for the 2015 Philadelphia Flower Show. The entire picture was made using fall leaves. It received an Honorable Mention.

How Long ?

Recently I entered two pictures in the Pressed Plants Competition at the Philadelphia Flower Show. I finally got to make an abstract piece I've often thought of doing, as the theme for that particular class allowed us to create a work inspired by a famous artist. So I chose Kadinsky and I made this using all pressed leaves and flowers.

 

The abstract was fun to make.

 

The other picture I entered was a lot more detailed. The class called for a garden to resemble an artist's style of painting. I went with Claude Monet. This picture took much longer than the abstract because of all of the little pieces used to create the "impressionist" look.

 

 

This "Artist's Garden" took home an honorable mention. Again it 100% made with pressed flowers and other botanicals.

 

 

People always ask how long it takes to make "that" , referring to one of my petal painted pictures. I usually answer the amount of time (usually several days or weeks) that it takes to create the piece. When I think about it, I am wrong. Truth is it probably took me at least twice as long. Pressed flowers is a great form of art that is also timely, not only in creating artistic works, but in collecting, preparing, pressing, sorting and organizing sometimes hundreds to thousands of botanicals. It's a process that is redundant at times, yet calming to me. It's my passion. It's what I do. So I don't think much about the time and the process, but the end result, which despite the labors, is the true reward. 



 



Lost In Time And Flowers

Ok, I haven't posted in a really long time. I didn't realize how long until now. In my absence I've been really busy creating many new things. I am always afraid I will run out of new ideas, yet my palette of botanicals always finds a way to inspire me. There's been so many new things I don't know where to start.  One of the most fun projects I've come up with has been real leaf garlands. I am a fan of autumn and  love to use it's beautiful gifts in my art. As a result I started making lots of these:

                  These garlands are made from real fall leaves and are preserved to last. To keep them natural the leaves are hung from jute. Rustic and fun!
Happy Autumn!
Micki

Pressed Flower Art...Will it last ?

If you have ever wondered just how long a pressed flower piece will last, I want to share this with you. I stumbled upon this picture which was bought in 1939 as a wedding gift. While some fading has occurred over 74 years, you can see the picture is still quite beautiful, and many of the flowers still have vibrant color. Thank you to the special lady who shared this and let me take the pictures of her treasured gift.

2013 "Brilliant" Philadelphia Flower Show

From January through March each year almost all of my "free" time is spent preparing entries for the Philadelphia Flower Show. My "free" time is often "sleep" time.

This year the show's title was "Brilliant". It was a tribute to Great Britain. Of most interest to me was the "Pressed Plant" exhibit, where entries from all over the world, including mine were exhibited and hung to compete for "oohs, wows and ahhhs" and of course ribbons. My entries usually take several weeks each to prepare.

My first picture took three weeks longer thank I had planned, as happens with pressed flower art.  Making those botanicals work like paint is sometimes a challenge.( I won an Honorable Mention on this entry. )

That left me much less time than desired to finish two other entries.
With ideas in mind, I first thought to rethink my choices for my "Stonehenge" entry ,but I have always wanted to do a castle, and I couldn't stop myself. I did however replan the structure and intricacy of the planned castle entry. The result, though not what I intended, did come out nice, and did bring in a second place ribbon to my surprise.

With only two nights left to create an entry for the "Royal Wedding" class, I had to completely abandon my visions of a beautiful wedding gown made with the sheerest of flower petals. My need to think and create fast put me on a whimsical track. Certainly not the caliber of a picture I wanted to enter in the show , but with the only other choice being not enetering, I came up with this piece:

This ended up with an Honorable Mention.

 

So my never ending learning continues. I know the end result in art ( and in life) is not always what we plan, but it is what we create when things just don't go as planned. Mistakes, and "things" happen. Only my first picture turned out as I imagined, after struggling too long on the bridge.  The other two were a result of timing.  It's not always a bad thing.

 

- Micki

 



So Little Time, After A Long Time

My lack of blogging time is only a reflection of my creating time. I have lots to share and much catching up to do.
I recently spent some time to make cards for a small craft show I was going to put some things in. I don't focus enough of my time on making cards. There is a reason for that. I always think they will be quick and simple. That's rarely the case. I painted all of the backgrounds used in these cards. I really enjoy preparing my own backgrounds. I feel it makes my cards more original and artistic. Plus I really enjoy making a mess with my paints. It's true!

 A butterfly made from petals flies above a single, but beautiful cosmos flower.

  Just some simple designs on my fern inspired backgrounds.

   Vase from a leaf, filled with larkspur, leaves and ferns.

Holidays

 Ginko Leaf ornaments

 

This was a super busy holiday season in my world of art and craft. I rarely use those words together, as I like to think of what I do as more art than craft. But sometimes I combine the two, as you can in these photos.

 Snowman ornamnet made with white poplar leaves an other pressed flowers.

 Hand stamped silk scarf. The stamp was a real fern.

Zentangle inspired, pen and ink heart with a pressed flower necklace

 

Overall I think I created over one hundred ornaments, two dozen scarves, about sixty necklaces, and many,many other items. Afterall , who needs sleep when the is fun to be had creating?

 

Hope you all enjoyed the holidays. Happy 2013!

Micki