Botanical Realism in Paper

Instagram is the place the exceptional floral paper artwork of Marlene in Denmark caught my eye. I love the way in which she does not shrink back from, however as a substitute embraces all phases of a plant’s pure life cycle. From plump buds to fading petals and browning foliage Marlene strives to create correct botanical examples.

Curious to know extra about Marlene and her selection of paper as a medium, I requested her in regards to the origin of her curiosity in paper and realized it started with origami. She was later launched to paper flower making by a relative. Within the following paragraphs, Marlene tells us about her work as a floral paper artist and what it means to her.

“I’ve at all times been deeply fascinated about nature and really feel utterly at
dwelling at any time when I’m going for a hike or a stroll outside. My husband generally
loses persistence with me on these walks as a result of I typically cease to look at
the intricate particulars of a flower or plant. Nature serves as a relentless
supply of inspiration for me in my paper paintings.”

“I take pleasure in
difficult myself when working with paper, striving to make my
creations as practical as doable. To attain this, I exploit a wide range of
paper supplies, together with crepe paper and handmade Japanese and
Nepalese papers. I hand-paint the paper or dip it into watercolor
options to attain the specified results. I at all times work with
high-quality coloring supplies to make sure glorious coloration fastness.”

fingers holding stem of paper dandelion puff ball

“When
creating a chunk, I start by researching the flower, plant, or maybe an insect that I need to replicate, typically spending time on-line gathering
data. Nonetheless, I want to have a dwell specimen to check so I can
create my very own templates. Typically, it takes me weeks to finish a brand new
mission as a result of I dedicate a lot time to learning and testing
completely different methods.”

“Making paper flowers hasn’t at all times been half
of my life. I began in 2021, throughout a troublesome time that compelled me
to decelerate and reevaluate my perspective and way of life. At some
level, I felt a powerful urge to be inventive—one thing I hadn’t felt in
years, probably as a result of I had suppressed it. Creating paper flowers
introduced a way of peace and true pleasure again into my life, permitting me to
reconnect with the satisfaction of creating one thing with my palms.”

“After
faculty, I wasn’t positive what I needed to do with my life. By likelihood, I
started working in IT, specializing in assist, system administration, and course of
administration. I labored laborious, excelled at my job, and continued in that
subject for a few years. However over time, the fixed excessive workload left me
feeling confused and empty, as if one thing was lacking. I noticed I
wasn’t really glad.”

“As a toddler, I had been fairly inventive, however
someplace alongside the way in which, I misplaced that connection. Now, I work a lot
much less—nonetheless part-time in IT—however I’ve loads of time to give attention to
creating paper flowers and having fun with nature. I’m rediscovering my creativity
(and myself) via working with paper, shaping it into delicate
flowers. It has been a deeply therapeutic expertise, and I really feel a quiet
sense of peace and happiness have returned to me.”

“This course of
has not solely helped me decelerate and discover pleasure within the small particulars, however
it has additionally taught me to understand imperfection. In nature, no two
flowers are ever equivalent, and I’ve realized to embrace that in my
work—and in life. So after I make paper flowers I attempt to make a few of
these imperfections in my creations.”

“Wanting forward, I hope to
proceed rising as an artist and difficult myself with extra advanced
creations. I generally dream of exhibiting my work, sharing the
magnificence and appreciation of nature via paper with others. I additionally
take into consideration instructing workshops or collaborating with different artists to
encourage extra individuals to reconnect with their very own creativity.”

“Finally,
I need to maintain exploring this mix of artwork and nature, at all times in search of
new methods to push the boundaries of what I can do with paper. It’s a
journey, and I’m excited to see the place it takes me.”