These whimsical collages are the work of botanical artist, Bridget Beth Collins
Talk about flower power! These whimsical collages are the work of botanical artist, Bridget Beth Collins. Based out of Seattle, the theater major-turned-flower child began experimenting with foliage by using silk petals in artwork for her son’s bedroom wall. So proud of the results, she took the collages to a local coffee shop that sold art and was promptly (and rudely) rejected by the owner. Collins became discouraged, so she put the petals down for several years before giving it another go. This time, she posted photos of her art to her personal Instagram account, where friends encouraged her to create a professional profile dedicated solely to the arrangements. She took their wise advice and only a year later, Collins has nearly 130,000 followers on her Floral Forager Instagram and a client list that includes Elie Saab, Elle Decor, and Stella McCartney.
Unlike her humble silk flower beginnings, Collins now only works with the real deal, noting on her site that ‘almost all of my creations from foliage and flowers plucked from our sidewalks, meadows, and woods in our neighborhood.’ She doesn’t use glue or adhesive in any of her pieces, instead arranging berries, needles, and leaves on white paper, creating cute woodland creatures, sidewalk scenes, and dreamy dresses. Since there is no way to perfectly preserve fresh botanicals, Collins then snaps a few photographs and returns her materials back to nature. The images are printed onto photo paper with archival ink, which keep their vibrancy and 3D quality intact.
Floral Forager prints are available for sale (only $22!) on Collins’ website.
All images via Instagram.com/flora.forager