Plant Forms Preserved as Art

Green Art in Lenexa

bg — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 01:09:11 +0000

During the month of April, the city of Lenexa will feature this plant based art in celebration of the beauty plant life offers.

Displayed as framed wall art, the graphic and abstract form of a variety of plant material, including seedpods, thorns, lichens, fronds, leaves, roots and more is shown in a way we just can’t see or appreciate normally.

The presentation allows people to connect with the plant world in a way that haven’t been able to before.

The Galleries at Lenexa City Hall: 12350 West 87^th Street Parkway, Lenexa, Kansas 66215
Galleries throughout, open during regular business hours.

Visiting the Studio

bg — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 23:47:31 +0000

Visiting the studio will give you a feel for how things are created, and you’ll be able to see pieces that won’t ever be at a gallery.

Along with many finished pieces, you’ll see presses drying plant material, work in process, and my own collection of preserved plants – also known as an herbarium. Most universities and some botanical gardens have herbaria associated with them. It’s rare an individual has one.

Send an email to schedule a visit:
brigg @ sprynet.com

Soybean Plants Framed

bg — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:40:14 +0000

There’s a certain beauty soybean fields have, like corn or wheat fields. Where I live, they’re often surrounded by rolling hills, and might be in that rich loamy soil right next to the Missouri River.

These images are all soybean plants preserved as art. The first three are framed, 16″ x 18″

And a series of five larger pieces, 24″ x 28″:

Creating Beautiful Spaces

bg — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:04:04 +0000

Bringing nature into your everyday living or work space creates a peaceful environment: it evokes a sense of connection to life and the planet, and we feel good.

In ritual, art and myth, people have long expressed their reverence for the world of nature. Today, it’s the universal antidote for the stress of everyday living.

Papaya, 24″ x 28″, Matted, Framed
$365

Monstera, 24″ x 28″, Matted, Framed
$365

Call to schedule a visit to my studio gallery space to see more items for sale or to pick up your purchase.

New ways to use images

bg — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 04:33:49 +0000

The human attraction to plant life is undeniable. It seems mere visual contact with plants reduces stress and enhances our well being.

I present plant form as it naturally occurs as wall art. I think there are other ways to use the forms or images from them, and am wondering about partnerships with artists in other media….aside from matted and framed art, I’ve tried sandblasting glass, bookends, glass coasters, book covers, breakfast tray surfaces, decoupage with Durwin Rice…. I’d like to see what else could be done with these images.

Small Herbs

bg — Fri, 08 May 2009 19:10:45 +0000

I love herbs, but I use them more to admire visually than to improve my food, which might be a more appropriate use of herbs.

We have some areas of wilderness in my nieghborhood that seem to be a perfect growing environment for a kind of wild onion. They grow and change quickly – beautiful to watch.

Wild Onion on the right
Both are 5″ x 7″ and are sendable ($14)
Reclaimed wood frames ($12)

L to R: Lemon Grass, Savory, Oregano
all 5″ x 7″ Sendable ($14 ea.)

Framed Oregano
12″ x 12″ ($75)

Framed Tamarind
12″ x 12″ ($75)

On Display at Justus Drugstore – a restaurant

bg — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:48:33 +0000

There couldn’t be a better place to display local art than Justus Drugstore Restaurant in Smithville, MO. Their much acclaimed food is created from scratch with painstaking care, using local small farm producers.

While both the owners have backgrounds as chefs, Johnathan also trained as a fine artist. A few of his pieces are on display around the restaurant and are not for sale.

The only other artwork on display there is mine. Everything on display was collected locally, even the papaya, first in the picture above, which comes from a friend’s two story solarium. Also above, left to right, is Canna, something unknown, Marjoram, and Squash.

Other pieces on display throughout are surprisingly pretty Watermelon, Tobacco, Sage, Bamboo, Pitcher Plant, and Kale.

Below is Rumex, Watermelon and Kale (left to right).

A pair of Bamboo

Carnivorous Pitcher Plants

Rumex leaves from near the river
One large Watermelon leaf from my garden

A semi-devoured Kale leaf from Steve Hess’ garden

Annual Spring Show

bg — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:34:04 +0000

It’s May and that means it’s time for the Spring Sale From the Summer’s Garden.

Find fun new items for you and those on your gift list as you stroll through the budding garden. Come see the great gifts for Mother’s and Father’s Day too! Brigid Greene will be one of the many artists featured at the sale.

Visit the blog at www.fromthesummersgarden.blogspot.com to see brand new items and work by the guest artists. You will also find directions to the garden and studio.

Choose from three weekends and 9:00-5:00 daily:

Saturday and Sunday, May 9 & 10

Saturday and Sunday, May 16 & 17

Saturday, Sunday & Monday, May 23, 24 & 25

Ginkgo Leaves

bg — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:23:23 +0000

Ginkgo trees are strange and wonderful and elegant. They’re considered to be a living fossil as the oldest tree species on the planet.

These trees are long-lived, highly resistant to disease, pests, fire, and air pollution. Thriving in harsh city environments where most trees will not survive, the most common tree on Manhattan sidewalks is ginkgo.

Many health benefits have been attributed to the extracts of the Ginkgo plant – the most well-known is the perceived ability to improve short term memory.

These small matted Ginkgo pieces are just under 5″ x 7.” They’re folded and stand upright.
$14 ea. plus $1.50 shipping. I will select your card or you may shop from a selection at my studio gallery north of Parkville. Call 816-584-2625 for an appointment.

More examples of Ginkgo:

Greensburg

bg — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:22:11 +0000

The Kansas City office of the US Green Building Council organized a work trip to Greensburg, KS to build two green homes in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity. In August, 2008, I went with about 30 other people on this trip.

It had been a little over a year since the devastating tornadoes of 2007 hit Greensburg. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I was not emotionally prepared for what I saw. Except for about three brand new small prefab structures, everything, everywhere had been destroyed. The trees were noticeably decimated.

I’d seen some of the episodes of Planet Green’s documentary on the rebuilding efforts of the town prior to the visit. Those episodes showed me people struggling with serious financial problems. They show teens committed to the values of green buildings. They showed some raw emotion. But seeing the town without a cheerleader to tell me it was all going to be okay someday, was not something I was prepared for.

I collected some plant material from former home lots around the Greensburg Greentown building and made the art on this page. They’re selling some at the Greensburg office. You can also buy the ones posted here. Greensburg Greentown gets half the selling price. Call 816-584-2625 to inquire or order:

5″ x 7″ matted, folded, sendable in an envelope or free standing $14

1 – 3.5″ x 8.25″ matted, folded, sendable and free standing $14

8″ x 10″ Double Matted, Leafy Leaf $45
This is the one in Laura Sterchi’s photos of the trip

8″ x 10″ Double Matted, Leafy Leaf $28

8″ x 10″ Double Matted, Leafy Leaf $28
Collected from behind Greensburg Greentown

8″ x 10″ Double Matted, Leafy Leaf $28
This is the one in Laura Sterchi’s photos of the trip

8″ x 10″ Double Matted, Native Leaf $28