I am a lifelong gardener. I have spent many years with my hands in the soil, watching the marvel of the plant cycle – from seed, to flower, to fruiting plant. Inspiration for my art springs from many influences: gardening with my grandmother, horticulture education, farming, landscaping,
community gardening, volunteering, writing, and
teaching.
 

I first began pressing flowers and leaves inside
heavy books to see if I could reproduce some of
the botanical pressings I had admired in my botany books. The results captivated me. Details I had missed in the fresh plants were highlighted beautifully after the pressing and drying process. I have been making art out of pressed plants for over 30 years, using five beautiful handmade wooden presses by my husband.

My collection comes from plants that I have grown from seed, harvested from generous friend’s gardens, and collected by roadsides throughout the northeast. I often deconstruct plants into their component parts to reveal shapes and colors that are not always evident with the fresh, whole plant. This opens a new way of seeing nature for me – a view from the inside out. These tiny, vital parts add an unexpected dimension to my designs and unveil exquisite parts that remain mostly unseen.