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How did your career as a botanical designer begin?
Before I was painting on plants I was making paintings of plants. One day I painted on a huge monstera leaf and had one of those classic ah-ha moments. I think what I was always searching for in the paintings finally felt as immersive and magical as I imagined. I didn’t ever anticipate that the botanical works would have any market or interest - I just started bringing these pieces to life and posting them to my instagram as a record of what I had created. It has been so incredible to see people connect with this work and to engage with its playful magic. Each piece has a certain lifespan, an ephemerality, so I believe the act of sharing it with the world adds to its temporary vividness.
What's your favorite part about the New York creative community?
The New York Flower Market on 28th between 6th and 7th is the heart of the botanical art scene. Before the pandemic, we all used to cross bunny trails as we browsed from store to store looking for the perfect plant. There was a beautiful sense of community that bloomed from our early morning market foraging and I hope our sweet market can weather this storm.
What's inspiring you right now?
Right now, like as of a few days ago, I'm incredibly inspired by blurring the line between collage and floral arranging. I’ve been making large cutout collages and I realized there is something very similar in the thought process at play - the meditated composition of elements to create an arrangement of sorts. I’m excited to see where this idea leads and how the two modes of making can be united.
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