If you’re searching for contemporary pressed flower art, you’ve come to the right place. Leah Nikolaou, an expert in flower pressing and hand embroidery, crafts one-of-a-kind pieces using a combination of pressed flowers and wool. Her unique style and materials result in stunning and modern works of art, perfect for a flower gallery.
What is ‘Modern‘ Pressed Flower Art?
Flower pressing is an age-old craft that predates even 16th Century Japanese Oshibana. But what sets pressed flower artworks apart and makes them ‘modern‘? Many factors, from the execution of the technique to the specie pressed, the botanical composition, framing and display.
Some popular methods today include creating elaborate pictures of tiny leaves and flowers and mounting hundreds of specimens in see-through glass frames and panels. You can read more about different types of flower art and learn how to put a collection together in Flower Art – Collecting & Finding The Essence Of A Great Portfolio.
Leah uses traditional meticulous, time-consuming processes for pressing her flowers, allowing them to dry until she has achieved a delicate, papery texture. However, she also pushes the boundaries of classical pressed flower art by mixing flower pressing with hand embroidery.
Bringing in another material, such as wool, she arranges her compositions with modern, minimal, vintage and whimsical appeal. Consequently, her mixed media compositions blur the boundaries between tradition and contemporary!
Wildflowers In A Ceramic Vase
These unique artworks are A4 in size and features a combination of printed pressed flowers and hand-embroidery. Displayed on high-quality water-colour paper, it showcases the delicate and graceful appearance of the pressed wildflowers. As a result, the velvety colours of the flowers beautifully complement the modern, pastel, wool vases.
Finding Inspiration for Modern Pressed Flower Art
Leah draws inspiration from the herbarium collections of the Natural History Museum in London. In the 17th century, botanist George Clifford would present his flower specimens in small 2D paper urns and vases. Additionally, you can read more about Clifford’s pieces and watch a short video on Leah’s About page. She has taken this concept and added embroidery to create a paper vessel that showcases flowers in a contemporary way.
Pressed Flowers & Hand Embroidery
This artwork was created by embroidering a vase onto recycled kraft paper, uses a freehand darning stitch traditionally used for mending. The result is a beautifully crafted piece that compliments the natural beauty of flowers with the artistry of embroidery.
Combining the traditional craftmanship of 17th-century England embroiders with a contemporary twist excites Leah in her work. Likewise, she pays homage to the skilled crafts of the past while infusing them with a sense of value and longevity. As a result, she meticulously creates each piece; her hopes for them are that someone will treasure and pass them down through generations as heirlooms.
Further Reading Contempfleury – Art
The Appeal Of The Country Brocante In The Search For Art & Rare Paraphernalia
Authentic Vintage Laura Ashley Fabric & Unique Art Collaboration
Timeless Pressed Flower Print For A Beautiful Bedroom Scheme
Creating A Unique Red Aesthetic With Frames
Conclusion
In combing the materials of pressed flowers and wool, Leah successfully executes modern pressed flower art. Thus, the unique hand stitching and framing of the flowers inside vessels would make them a great addition to any flower gallery.
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Contempfleury
Contempfleury is a studio run by leah Nikolaou. Trained in Constructed Textiles at The Royal College Of Art in London, Leah has a wide collection of embroidery stitched into paper. Be inspired by her pressed flower art collection, which showcases her hand embroidery skills.
