I’ve discovered a new passion project! I had no idea it had a name but in researching after squishing, pressing, rolling, hammering and delightfully finding the wild array of pigments inside flowers and plants, I have discovered that biochrome is the actual name of the pigments!
My current fascination has evolved over the summer as I try out various methods on a huge drop cloth canvas. The beauty of the impressions created like watercolors and I have a vision of this giant canvas hanging in my studio at the end of the flower season!
After hammering until I got tendinitis, I got to thinking and in my thinking I pondered different ways to press the pigments, the biochrome!, out of the flowers without causing lasting damage to my wrists and hands. Last year I was really into embossing paper with metal dies. What if I used the same method with the flowers, taking a hand roller and pressing directly onto watercolor paper? Deckled watercolor paper even! That truly is my favorite .. the roughly hewn edges of handmade paper is just delightful.
The impressions lead me to impressionistic impressionism.. and I’m impressed! These look exactly like watercolor paintings! Croscosmia, lavender and pansy are my absolute winners. I’ve smashed day lilies, roses, love in the mist. I’ve wrung the life out of more hydrangeas than you would think possible. Passion flowers, hibiscus, raspberries! My number one in all my art is always the elderberry. The impression almost made me cry. The intricate beauty of an elderberry blossom, whether on the bush, pressed and dried, or rolled and hammered has brought more beauty to my art than I could have ever imagined.
This piece represents my experience during the pandemic and quarantine caused by Covid-19 – Entry for “Out the Window” Artist Challenge for Whatcom Art Guild
Unlike the vast majority of people, I was not affected by being sequestered in my home. I work in health care, and while not working in the hospital on the “front lines”, my position was deemed essential.
Shattered: There were still people who needed care beyond the realm of a covid-19 infection. There were still people who were receiving shattering news. Young ladies finding out they had breast cancer and brain tumors. Old people with metastasized cancer that had entered their bones. Men discovering the heartbreak of prostate cancer. To them finding out they had covid instead would have been a blessing, or the least of their worries.
Bright Spot: I was in my normal routine as far as my work, earning a full pay check until we slowed down immensely. Then my paycheck was covered and we were able to manage as normal in my household. I was able to care for people who were so very grateful for my service. We had so much time to spend with patients and there was no complaining about wait times, difficulty of the exam, or challenges with getting scheduled.
Shattered: We had just returned from a week in Palm Springs when the shut downs happened and planned to return again the following month. Those plans had to be canceled and we moved them out to next week. They may be shattered again. This has been a difficult winter/spring/early summer for my husband who suffers with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Finding sunshine is one of his deepest needs.
Bright Spot: My family isn’t very sociable so we did not suffer through the loss of social interaction. My son, who lives with us, was at a healthy time mentally after three years of struggling. He has handled this time with strength. He started walking more, riding his bicycle for the first time in years. Stayed in touch with friends on Zoom and daily texting, though they missed their brotherly trips to the comedy clubs, dinner out, and just hanging out. My newly retired husband was already settling into a home-based routine. I offered him projects to work on for my art – framing, building crates, and other “honey-do’s”. He tried that and embraced the process, buying new saws and creating a workspace in the garage.
Shattered: My drop in studio classes had just started in January and I had been building up a good following. Art Walk was the highlight of the month for the studio where people could come and see my latest projects and hear about the workshops and opportunity to create with me. Suddenly those classes were shut down and art walks were cancelled.
Bright Spot: I would go to my studio every day after abbreviated schedules at my job. The first trip downtown was so interesting. There was no one, and I mean no one, anywhere to be seen in downtown Bellingham. It was a literal ghost town. I had the entire building to myself and it was so peaceful. I cleaned, reorganized, and settled in for months of solo projects. I was inspired to try creating more and making self-care products. I spent countless hours making collages, whipping up lotions, and pouring candles. I sold some equipment that I didn’t find joyful. I got a printer and started making greeting cards. I worked on my Etsy Shop. It has been an introverts dream. Big shiny bright spot. I added face masks to my Etsy store and my sales have been really good.
I saw a load of tempered glass for sale online and went to pick up 65 pieces of it for whatever may come to mind. I had a vision of shattering some of it to use in upcoming projects. Have you ever tried to shatter tempered glass? I brought a few pieces into the studio. Wrapped one in canvas and tried with all my might to hammer it to pieces. Nothing. A few days later I went to get something out of my trunk where the pile was sitting. Lo and behold… one had shattered all on its own! My dream come true. I just had to figure out how to get it out of the trunk without causing a ruckus. I had been trying different products like polyacrylics, acrylic pour, and polyurethane to create art pieces with the glass and pressed flowers. So I slid the broken pieces onto another full sheet of glass and poured polyurethane over it to create this fractured piece, leaving a space for a pressed yellow gerbera daisy to create the bright spot. It became the piece for the artist challenge for our local art guild. We were to come up with something that represented what we have seen “Out The Window” during the time of being quarantined.
So many people never left their home even once for weeks on end. I cannot imagine how shattered your life has been. The pandemic of fear of the virus for many has been far worse than the virus itself even. Living in fear shatters hope, dreams, aspirations, and ideas. Some were paralyzed by this fear and a new layer of mental health issues have been poured out on a portion of people who were already teetering on the edges.
No matter what you’ve seen or experienced in any part of life, always look for the bright spot. There are lives shattering around us. Be the bright spot. Even when those clouds fill our skies and the rains pour endlessly gray, it always ends with a bright spot. When mental health fails us and we are pressed until we shatter from the loss, grief, overwhelming pressures we must find the bright spot. Whether it is in a baby’s laugh, a psalm, a song, a wish or a touch, God always provides a bright spot. Sometimes we have to look hard, dig deep, hold on tight, or ask for help finding it. But it is always there.
Yesterday was a rare Saturday all to myself, so I decided to take a drive around the county collecting flowers from some of the ladies who offered me art supplies recently! I actually started at the Dollar Store getting more tubs, towels, and nightlights for upcoming projects. Next stop Hobby Lobby where I only stopped to get silica but since they didn’t have that I browsed the frames and shadow boxes for a couple other projects… Oh so heavenly!
My first garden stop was closest to town where a lovely lady named Cheryl came to the door, which I didn’t have to knock on because her big dog was like an automatic doorbell named Maisy. Cheryl had responded to my request on Whatcom Gardeners Facebook page asking for dead daylilies. I recently, by accident, discovered that daylilies give off the most beautiful pigments when they are near death. Cheryl kindly showed me all around her garden and gave me some lovely blue flowers (roots and all!) that I can’t for the life of me remember the names of. She also gave me Balloon Flowers! These were so cool – purple hot air balloons that open into beautiful blossoms. She shared several other blossoms which I should have written down, but all were so lovely!
Next stop was Joanna’s farm, which I’ve visited a few times in the past to forage and to buy dahlias. Joanna’s daughter, Hannah, also does flower art and makes gorgeous jewelry which she sells at the Farmers Market. I was again greeted by a very large dog, this time larger than me – a great dane with no tail. He’s very sweet and friendly. Next came two more great dane “puppies” which were crazy dogs – one had just come flying out of the pond covered in mud and decided to bless me with a big swipe of his face on my belly! There was a black lab or something in the mix but he was definitely out of his league with those two characters.
Joanna had offered grape vines – the tendrils will make something, I’m sure, as they are very elegant and dainty. I came away with a pile of everything from gladiolas to marion berries, dahlias, roses, larkspur, blueberries, and many things I have no idea what they are called. Joanna has acres of beautiful land with horses, pigs, and of course, dogs! She is always gracious and generous with her time and flowers.
Morning was long past and I needed to get to my final stop, way out in the county, and the day was heating up quickly. With all the lovelies in my trunk and back seat I was worried about wilting all the treasures.
About 30 minutes east toward Mount Baker, the community of Everson and the surrounding farms never fail to bless me. The high hills, flat fields, and the snow-capped peaks all make for such a relaxing, scenic drive. I arrived to the greeting of another dog, this time a German Shepard, and a very sweet, quiet man named Joe who was out working in the yard. Joe and Jade live in a cute little house surrounded by acres of beautiful land. Jade had invited me out in the past but last year Saturdays were dedicated to my mom so I never made it. This year she invited me to pluck blossoms and even asked if I wanted to stay for a yard party! If only I was sociable… So blessed by her offer but that would be beyond my abilities to manage!
I expected that Jade would have a lovely garden, but I was not prepared for the absolute sweetness that filled her plot. You see, Jade is a newlywed. Joe got her a book on growing flowers and it turned out to be a “How to”…. meaning Joe ended up having to build a greenhouse and Jade had to learn “how to…” grow flowers from seed and begin a wonderful adventure in selling her flowers at her absolutely adorable roadside stand and online. Check her out on Instagram @doublejflowerranch (https://www.instagram.com/doublejflowerranch/)
Now, I have never seen “cupcake” flowers, and so many colors of cosmos, and I can’t even begin to remember what else… so many absolutely gorgeous flower petals I could “paint” for the rest of my life with! I felt like I was back in time and that this new “flower lady” I felt I had known forever.
As soon as I made it home I spent hours sorting. Some were definitely wilted but all still viable…and so beautiful… piles and piles of flowers! Some went in the freezer, a pile went into the fridge, and the majority went into tubs of silica to dry and preserve.
I took a few and did a “painting” with the pigments – from gladiola, blue delphinium, and rose petals on canvas paper, a new product I wanted to try. Today I cut a piece of raw canvas and hammered an array of roses, marionberries, gladiola, and grapevines… awaiting the final result is always the hardest part!
A basket full of love from the Garden Ladies smashed! drying in the sun… looks like my apron after making jam!
I have met some lovely people through the Whatcom County Gardeners Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/623454961004098/ – Nancy is now my friend – she has been doing art with flowers for over 40 years and blesses me with good ideas, encouragement, and kindness. Check out her beautiful work at https://www.instagram.com/fortheluvofflowersnc/
And Diane, Kathy, Kristy, Jen… and I’m sure I’ll leave someone out, all the flower ladies I’ve met and who “follow” my art…. I am truly blessed by each of you.
It is definitely flower season in the Pacific Northwest! We are still having frosty mornings (never plant before Mother’s Day, we’ve been taught – but who listens??) For me that means picking, plucking, buying, “borrowing”, and searching for flower petals to dry, press, preserve, scan and photograph. I am trying out different ones like camellia, tulip, and ranuculus – so far they are turning out very lovely. The Camellias tend to turn brown – or “rust” – as we say but even that can be extremely beautiful.
Camellia Blossom
This week I bought a new flatbed scanner. I have pretty much worn out my regular old printer/scanner and I think this will give me a little more room to be creative with my favorite media. I haven’t hooked it up yet because I am also getting a laptop to make my writing and blogging a little more mobile.
I have scanned so many flowers in the past year and now I will focus on scanning them at amazing resolution so I can make them more versatile for Print on Demand (Art of Where, Society6, Fine Art America, Printful, Zazzle, etc.) and my Etsy Shop. I spent a few hours today expanding my Fine Arts America/Pixels Shop – you can shop there through the link to the right on my main page. From wall art to duvet covers, t-shirts to phone cases, workout clothes to purses, you can find my original designs for any number of useful and beautiful items, gifts, home decor, or weddings.
Today’s creation is a collage of tulip petals, rose petals, and hellebore in a stained glass pattern. Between two panes of glass, when it is illuminated it is truly like a stained glass window – it would look amazing in a bathroom window. The details of the veins and the shading of the colors is so beautiful.
Petals as Paint – Illumination4
It is truly a magically beautiful time of year and there is so much to be inspired by in nature. God’s Creation is so amazing and I am just thankful to get to use his designs in my art!
I had a long, deep discussion with my son last night about music. We talked
about how playing music is not about getting to the end, but enjoying the
notes, rhythms, melodies, harmonies, chords and riffs. Playing music is purely for the purpose of
the experience itself. Playing music is
not a hurried activity. There is no
pinnacle of success – you are playing simply for the joy and pleasure of the
sounds and emotions those sounds invoke.
I related this to something I thought about earlier this week. Flowers.
Flowers bring such beauty and pleasure to so much of our lives. People dedicate their entire lives to
cultivating, growing, picking, preserving, and selling flowers. Flowers serve no necessary purpose
really. They are a fleeting, seasonal,
and temporary pleasure. But such an
intrinsic part of our existence.
What would a wedding, funeral, romance, relationship, or friendship be
without flowers? From a simple bouquet of wildflowers tied with a string to the
most elaborate designs, flowers bring the beauty of life to life. In Victorian times, flowers were considered a
symbolic language. They could be used to
communicate deep emotions – from love to death, hate to passion. I have incorporated the mythical language of
flowers into the descriptions of my products.
Not that I believe that is their specific purpose, but to share the
history and traditions of giving flowers as a way to communicate.
Right now there is a tulip festival going on in my hometown. Tulips are so very temporary, but the life
they bring to the community is invaluable.
Farmers cultivate acre after acre, year after year. They plant the bulbs, cultivate them, cut
down the flowers, dig up the bulbs, and repeat that cycle for their entire
working life. People drive mile after
mile, coming from around the world to see the Skagit Tulip Festival or the
fields of Holland. For only a few weeks,
the dazzling rows of every color create a beautiful quilt across the
valley. On a rainy gray day the vibrant
colors are enhanced by the subtle backdrop.
On a sunny day we are dazzled with the snowcapped mountains, miles of
fields, and the brilliance of the blue sky as a backdrop to the most colorful
palette nature has to offer.
We can’t eat them or do anything other than pick them, arrange them, and
throw them out. Or, if you’re me, you
might add a couple steps – pick them, pluck them apart, press them and dry
them, then use them as paints to create unique art designs.
What would a walk in the forest be without the delight of huge ferns,
bleeding hearts, wild roses, and tiny wildflowers to enhance the beauty of our surroundings? They are there completely for our pleasure,
and I am convinced for the pleasure of the Creator. Why else would he add such intricate details
that we would never see unless we disassemble the blooms? There are an array of hues and tints and
colors not visible unless you open them up and take them apart. The stamens and pistils are intricately
designed solely for the purpose of reproducing the flowers for our pleasure and
His.
From the most elaborate botanical gardens to my back yard, from dandelions
along the side of the road to the gardens of the most elaborate homes, the
purpose of flowers is to bring visual pleasure and emotion to our daily
lives. Just like us, they were created
just for the simple purpose to love and be loved. We are temporarily here on this earth to
bring pleasure and beauty to the lives of others. We, like flowers, are here to reflect the
beautiful creations of a Holy God who finds great pleasure in us and his flowers. Imagine the vast array of colors in a tulip
field and fathom the flower gardens of heaven we have to look forward to.
The purpose of flowers, and even music, are only to bring us visual and emotional
pleasure in the moment. When was the
last time you got flowers? How did that
make you feel? What is your favorite
flower and what memories does it invoke?
When was the last time you planted a basket of petunias or pansies,
remembering your childhood? When did you
last buy yourself a bouquet at the grocery store simply to brighten up your
dining room table? Share with me your
memories, your connections, and emotions that certain flowers bring to your
life.
My latest designs were scanned today and I can’t wait to see what they become!
Omi’s Bouquet – This is from a bouquet my mother-in-law shared with me – Yellow Chrysanthemum, Pink Carnations, and I added white orchid petals, orange lilies, and some dahlia petals for accents
Praise Petals – Rose, dahlia, and poinsettia petals sprinkled with hydrangea
Primrose focal point with an ocean of hydrangea, dahlia, and geranium
Petals as Paint – a technique using flower petals in place of paint strokes to create unique geometric and nature inspired designs on tile. These are scanned at high resolution to be used on various home decor, clothing, and accessories on Etsy, Society6, Fine Art America, Zazzle, and RedBubble – Look for Refind Creations on any of these sites for your next work of art!
The simplicity of this design is so lovely. Pretty Purple Petals is a Petals as Paint collage technique using real flower petals in place of paint strokes. A uniquely beautiful and original Design Inspired by Creation. Handmade Paper sprinkled in blue and purple hydrangea petals makes a simple, sweet, and whimsical design. Find it at Whatcom Art Market in Bellingham, Washington, or online in my Etsy Store. Available on notebooks, home decor, wall art, and clothing items!
Pretty Purple Petals – Hydrangea
Basic Tote Features:
-Vibrant printed canvas: 100% polyester textured canvas shell withstands everyday use while looking great. -Easy Care: 1 layer of canvas means it’s easy to care for your basic tote. Throw it in the washer and dryer and it’s ready to go again! -2 strap choices: Choose from cotton or polyester webbed 1” straps. Long enough to carry comfortably on your shoulder. -4 strap colors: Choose from black or natural in cotton, or black or grey in polyester webbing to suit your style and artwork.
This is the third tote featured at Whatcom Art Market in Bellingham, Washington, and available online in my Etsy shop. Geranium Pinwheel is a whimsical single bright candy pink geranium blossom pressed and scanned at high resolution on handmade paper. This design is transferred to various home décor, clothing, and accessories. It is charming and unique! Perfect for springtime, it would be perfect for Easter, a bridal shower, or a delightful shopping bag!
-Vibrant printed canvas: 100% polyester textured canvas shell withstands everyday use while looking great. -Easy Care: 1 layer of canvas means it’s easy to care for your basic tote. Throw it in the washer and dryer and it’s ready to go again! -2 strap choices: Choose from cotton or polyester webbed 1” straps. Long enough to carry comfortably on your shoulder. -4 strap colors: Choose from black or natural in cotton, or black or grey in polyester webbing to suit your style and artwork.
I am very excited to see my art printed on these various styles of tote bags! Today I put four different kinds in the Whatcom Art Market to trial. Each design is unique and beautiful! I will post each one separately.
First is an origami tote. I have never seen a bag like this – It starts as a large square of rich fabric imprinted with my design called Purple Hibiscus Butterfly. The handle is sturdy and easy to adjust or remove.
While we call it the Origami tote, you can fold this origami crepe cloth into a tote bag, or use it as an impromptu picnic blanket, scarf, or the most beautiful present wrapping. It would make an amazing Easter basket! That’s the beauty of it!
Purple Hibiscus Butterfly Tote
• Made from 100% polyester crepe • Vegan leather strap is cruelty-free. • Tote straps feature heavy metal loops in gun-metal black, finished with a pair of steel rivets • Each tote is printed and sewn by hand in Montreal, Canada • Vivid print that will never fade after washing • Machine wash in cold water with phosphate free detergent, hang to dry
This design is also available on a luxurious day tote in my Etsy store
Our super stretchy day tote is ready to handle anything you throw in it! Amazing for carrying a change of clothes, a quick trip to the grocery store, spa and swimwear, or as your biking go-to bag.
• Tote made from a soft, supple double knit neoprene fabric, 92% polyester, 8% spandex • Printed inside and out with a vivid print that will never fade • Easy adjustable 44” strap • Strong metal hardware and professional bar tacking • Each day tote is printed and sewn by hand in Montreal, Canada •
Easy care, machine wash in cold water with a phosphate-free detergent,
or spot clean, print can be scrubbed and washed with soap, hang to dry,
do not bleach
Purple Hibiscus Butterfly is a high resolution scan of real
hibiscus (aka Rose of Sharon) petals arranged on handmade paper. The simplicity of hibiscus combined with the
intricate details created by scanography makes for a truly beautiful design,
inspired by Creation. The handmade paper
was infused with crushed flower petals to give a uniquely beautiful
texture. This design was created in
Bellingham, WA, by Refind Creations and is part of the Petals as Paint
collection.
Featured Artist – like they’re talking about someone else. I’ve been Mark’s Mom. Nicki’s Mom. MRI Tech. The boss. The chauffeur of Mark and Nicki. The daughter. The wife. And now The Artist!
Tomorrow-Friday February 22- I get to have my art in a new display. It’s featured every day at Whatcom Art Market of course. It took me months to not laugh at the idea of being an artist.
Now I’m excited to show my Petals as Paint and other creations – candles, collages, and magnets to people out enjoying a cold evening strolling around one of my favorite places – Fairhaven in Bellingham WA.
So happy to be at Sweet Bellingham, a bakery in town that has the most inspired edible creations! What a fun opportunity to meet people who are out having fun! Homemade marshmallows anyone??
I meet people all day every day who are hurting or suffering in my normal job. This will be a great change to see people buying candied apples and cookies, baking supplies and candies. Thank you Sweet Bellingham for letting me set your tables with tiny easels and candles and to hang and display my art!
For all the locals come on out tomorrow night! Head to Sweet Bellingham and Whatcom Art Market. And thanks to Fairhaven Art Walk for giving local artists an opportunity to share our passion with the community!
