What inspires your art?
I was lucky enough to grow up here in North Carolina. My mom took us hiking every single weekend and taught me to truly value our native plants and animals. She also taught me to garden and grow food for ourselves and flowers for our pollinators. These lessons have shaped so much of who I am today. I’m so thankful to have a business that focuses on locally grown plants.
If you were to speak for your art how would you fill in these prompts?
I feel…
More connected with the community through the local markets we do. I’m so excited to share my art and talk about NC plants.
I need…
More plants… I can never have enough plants.
I am…
Still learning so much every single day.
What’s your favorite tool and why?
Definitely my microwave flower press. I still have a traditional press that I use for certain plants but most of my flowers go in the Microfleur. I can now press flowers in an afternoon instead of waiting a month. It also helps the colors stay really vibrant!
What’s one thing that someone who isn’t a flower presser or jewelry maker wouldn’t know about what you do?
Something I never really thought about when I started pressing flowers is how different the drying times would be for different flowers. The really pale flowers seem to be the most temperamental and most prone to burning in the microwave press.
What idea or concept are you chewing on right now? Has it shown up in your work yet?
I love the jewelry so much. It’s hard to beat combining plants and shiny things. But I’ve been experimenting with some ways to incorporate the pressed flowers into some non-jewelry items too. I’m not sure if it will be something we move forward with but I’m having fun feeling it out.
Are you a rebel with your art in any way? How does that make it better?
I’m not sure I’d say I’m a rebel so much as an unapologetic plant nerd. I think what really sets our jewelry apart is the fact I hand pick and press every single leaf or flower that we use. Nothing is commercially grown and the flowers aren’t dyed. The commitment to growing and foraging everything myself definitely means I spend more time on materials but for me it’s worth it. I really love my home state and I love that every pair of earrings is like carrying a little piece of North Carolina around with you.