Putting down roots…

The natural world is continually changing, inspiring us and a thing of true beauty and pleasure to me…it is something I like to celebrate both when I am inside at home, as well as when I am out.

I am a great believer in bringing the outside in, especially into the home environment and relish in the importance of putting down roots. I tend to choose special artworks and objects for their ability to connect me directly to the things I love the most – nature, florals and botanicals.

Today I have rounded up some fantastic pieces of art-work [photography, prints, and originals] in addition to a few functional pieces and publications which would be the perfect step for anyone wanting to put down some botanical inspired roots in their home…none of these need soil, but are sure to create growth nonetheless!! 😉 Stylistically, there is hopefully something here for everyone…

Christopher David Ryan is an amazingly talented graphic artist, and someone who I had the pleasure of meeting recently [lovely chap!]…in his online Shoppe,My Little Underground you will find this stunning set of digital prints, entitledLeafy Mysteries – Series No 3. I am totally enamored of their ethereal graphics and soft colour palettes…truly stunning and evocative.

I first found Emma Kidds work on the fantastic online shop The Blue House– where you can purchase these beautiful postcards {along with lots of other wonderful goods}…I love their ghostly refracted imagery, the tree silhouettes drawing you in and creating focus. I think these postcards would be fab displayed together…as their colours just blend and work so well side by side.

Mhari McMullan creates stunning artworks, in a variety of mediums…I love the way a common theme of florals ties together her wonderfully eclectic collection of original art-works…their hard-edged colour palettes tempered with touches of lace, organic drips and free-flowing forms. Mhari has worked for some serious design forces {such as Tord Boontje and World of Interiors} so is surely a name to keep an eye on! Her recently launched online shop is stocked with fantastic one off pieces…which would look wonderful displayed in isolation or grouped together for impact.

Ella Doran’s hugely successful range of home products, fused with bright, bold and beautiful photographic imagery has surely by now won over a huge number of adoring fans. I really like some of her floral pieces, especially these Femme place-mats featuring Anemone blooms…which would add a beautiful pop of colour to a simple dining kitchen space.

The Small Stakes is one of my favourite companies. They produce the most wonderful music posters…and with so many of their incredible designs utilising floral and botanical inspirations, I am delighted to be able to include them here. I love that these have an inherently graphic, clean feel to them. The message and imagery clear and easy to see, to make sense of and enjoy. Whether you find a poster for one of your favourite bands, or just love the overall image – these posters are a wonderful way of introducing art into your home space….I know a couple of these are certainly on my wish-list for when I move.

I have had Karin Akesson’s site bookmarked for a long time…I can’t even remember where I first saw her work, but I am very glad I did! These beautiful limited edition screen printed wrapping papers involve the language of flowers in their design…such a fantastic idea, and beautiful result. I would also love to see these framed…as they are almost too lovely to use as a wrap!

The Gocco prints from Yoo_ii are fantastic. There are so many words I could use to describe her unique aesthetic and sense of composition but I think her works speak for themselves, and say beauty all the way. Recently released in her online shop a new limited edition duo of prints based on Japanese Zen Gardens….simply divine, so snap them up while you can!

If there is one publication I would recommend above all else, it is Bloom. Edited and conceived by the worlds leading trend predictor Li Edelkoort – it is beyond stunning. Each volume {released bi-annually} is more like a book…a tome of floral beauty, drawing together all the creative industries under one common banner. The tag-line for Bloom is, A Horticultural Review : The first trend magazine for flowers and plants, and how they relate to fashion, interiors and other industries. This is one publication that is absolutely leading the way…I am slowly building up my collection, and hope one day to be able to work through the back catalogue and collect all the issues. I have a feeling these will prove to be one of the most comprehensive collections of stunning Botanical art and design ever published….it will be an ongoing collation of everything that is amazing, and related to flora, in our design world today. You can purchase Bloom from Magma books in the UK and also online through the edelkoort shop.

It has been an absolute pleasure guest-blogging here this week, and having the opportunity to wax lyrical about my love of Botanicals. I feel like I only just managed to scratch the surface…and had so many more artists and designers work to share. Be sure to visit my blog [ http://www.abigailpercy.blogspot.com ] in the coming weeks where I will try to share the links that are ‘left over’ 🙂

Many thanks to Grace for inviting me to share this space for the week, and an extra special thank you to all of you who read and commented….your welcome was very warm indeed. Have a fantastic weekend!