Botanical Printing

Musings about Botanical Print Making.

The history of Nature Printing dates back millennia. Leonardo DaVinci’s description of covering a leaf with lamp black, and how to imprint it, is one of the oldest reference to imprinting plants on paper. Obviously, he recommended the study of Nature, no matter how humble the means. With him, we associate the integration of Art and Science and mechanical inventions that spawned the Industrial Revolution.

Nature in-forms Art and Science. Still perceived to be two sides of the same flat coin (akin to the flat earth paradigm) Art and Science are One,  “yoked” together into unity – which is the science of Yoga. Integral physical and energetic properties  of a plant (or any organism) account for its form(s) and function. With our senses we can perceive the  inter-relatedness of plant aspects, and plants as multi-dimensional organisms.

“Intelligent Design” IS. Plants teach: For example, the Ginkgo Tree belongs to the ancient fern family. Its uniquely shaped foliage evolved through adaptation to climatic changes. In my experience, most people profess unhesitatingly to have a “special relationship” with Gingko trees. They smile or lighten up at the sight of its leaves, or of imprints, as if they recognized “long known cousins”.

“Lila” in Sanskrit means playfully divine design. When we reconcile in our being state (heart/mind/spirit) the split between playful (incidental) and purposeful (intel-ligent) design – then we enter into Lila’ play. We want to see and experience the life-trons of plants, and perhaps life-trons in us. In childhood, play is purposeful. By adulthood we forgot. But being amongst plants, collecting and preparing them for botanical print making wholly relaxes body and mind and body. The various techniques of doing it are therapeutic and artful in the outcome.

As Therapeutic Recreation Specialist I recommend Botanical printmaking for all ages and all learning styles.

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