For me nature and art meet in the creative practice of Botanical Printing. Through the art of botanical printing I learn to see the natural world in a new way. I gain insight into the living color all around in the flowers, trees and plants growing in my garden, neighborhood, park, along the roadside or walking in the woods on a quiet afternoon. An everyday walk with my dog becomes an exploration and also a meditation. As I walk I observe, paying attention to the trees and plants and noticing seasonal changes. Camphor weed blooms in October, dyers chamomile in March, and wild fennel in May. In this way, I engage with the natural world right on my doorstep and develop a real relationship with my surroundings.
So what is Botanical Printing ?
It is a simple but surprising and wonder-full process by which plant materials can produce a direct impression or print on cloth and paper as well as other natural materials. The process involves pre-treating the cloth using a non-toxic mordant, usually a mineral salt like alum and/or ferrous sulfate. Plants (leaves, flowers, stems, bark) are arranged over the cloth and then the whole piece is tightly rolled around a sturdy stick or pipe and finally it is bound together firmly with string or twine. This bundle is then placed over a steamer in a large covered pot to steam for awhile. A contact print is made on the cloth through the combination of mordant, contact and heat which releases the dyes within the plant. The simplicity of the process makes the wonder-full result even more surprising. Even when working with the same plants again and again, there are always unpredictable variations and new discoveries which makes the art of botanical printing very rewarding !
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