Review: The Power of Flowers: Turning Pieces of Mother Nature into Transformative Works of Art by Vicki Rawlins

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

From field to forest and stream to sky, capture the harmony and beauty of the natural world with just some paper, flowers, leaves, and twigs.

Creating stunning yet fleeting works of art, artist Vicki Rawlins of Sister Golden defies the notion that art should be permanent. Using only the natural world and its gifts as her medium, Vicki forages for her materials and arranges them into stunning works of art.

Equipped with just scissors and tweezers, and using gravity as her glue, Vicki creates magical scenes and detailed portraits out of twigs, leaves, and flowers. After documenting her finished piece with a photo, she gifts her materials back to Mother Nature, or repurposes them in her next creation. The process is therapeutic, and the possibilities are endless!

A charming exploration of imagination and possibility, The Power of Flowers offers a window into the creative process behind these natural artworks and abundant inspiration with a striking kaleidoscope of art pieces, including:
- Famous faces, like Frida Kahlo, John Lennon, Einstein, Diana Ross, and more
- Whimsical scenes featuring blooming gardens, moonlit forests, seaside cottages, and woodland animals.
- Seasonal pieces inspired by the magic of the holidays
- Contemplative art reflecting love, inner strength, and positive energy.
 

With her uniquely imaginative artistic vision, Vicki takes you deeper into her world by sharing her process, her sustainable approach to art, and anecdotes about what inspired her to create. Let yourself get lost in The Power of Flowers.

My Review

I've admired this artist's work as I've come across photographs of various pieces online, and I was excited to be able to look at a whole book of her creations. The scenes are sweet and nostalgic, and the portraits creative and fun. The author shares some of her history with a health crisis and the way working with nature helped restore her. It's somewhat disappointing that live plant creations are difficult to preserve or share other than from a photo. I was surprised to learn that she doesn't use any adhesive but just freely lays down the pieces of plant matter in her composition (careful to have no fans or open windows). There's not much in the way of tutorials or instruction, but the artist shares a paragraph or two of her thoughts about each artwork or series of art pieces. The variety of matter is inspiring and I loved the contrasts of colors and textures. A wonderful source of inspiration for foraging and creating!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.