The Creative Process
"The west of Ireland is a wonderful place for wildflowers and there are such a variety of unspoiled habitats that change with the seasons."
"In springtime, the woodlands are carpeted with celandines and and anemones followed by a sea of bluebells - a truly magical place. As spring turns into summer, the meadows and hedgerows come into their own. Buttercups, grasses and cow parsley mingle with the purples of ragged robin and spikes of foxgloves."
"As summer progresses, the bogland becomes dappled white with cotton grass, the heather glowing purple amongst the russet grasses. Along the west coast, the hedges are filled with fuchsia and the fields white with chamomile and wild carrot. Autumn is a blaze of colors from ripening berries and leaves."
"By winter, the trees and hedgerow plants have lost their leafy cover to silhouette their beauty against the sky. This diversity is my palette!"
"As the year progresses, I pick my wild and garden botanicals and press them under heavy weights for a few days. Once dry, they are added to the precious store of materials that I use to create my range of designs based on the habitat and seasonal themes."
" I also use handmade papers made from a variety of plant materials to complement and enhance the colors and textures of my designs. I have become increasingly interested in herbs and have recently established a well-stocked herb garden to provide new materials for my designs. Herbs are such versatile plants with long histories of therapeutic and culinary uses."
"The Celtic people used many of the wild herbs such as chamomile, yarrow and meadowsweet and it is only recently that many people are rediscovering their natural healing properties."
"In a world where biodiversity is declining, I hope that I can play a small part in raising awareness and appreciation of these delicate and precious ecosystems."