Drawn from Nature

Big Picture Press, 2018

In the Reeds

"Along the water's edge, reed beds are full of activity. Flowers and grasses sway on their stalks, while ducks and moorhens hid their young families among the dense mass of stems...

Not only do reeds provide shelter; they also provide camouflage for hunters like herons. These lanky predators are perfectly suited to fishing in the shallows. They wade through the water on long legs, watching for fish with their keen yellow eyes. The moment they spot one, they'll strike out with lightning speed, using their long neck and sharp beak like a spear to stab the fish."

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Helen Ahpornsiri

Wow - the only biographical information I can locate for Ahpornsiri is that she lives in the UK. She has a wonderful website, is active on Instagram & Twitter, has a YouTube Channel and an Etsy store (temporarily closed.)  Other than the book's dedication to her family, Ahpornsiri is an extremely private artist. In a few places, she does give us insight to her creative process; the following quote is from her web site.

"All images are made using only real flowers, petals, stems and leaves. These are grown or foraged responsibly before being placed in a flower press. After 1-6 weeks of pressing, the flora and foliage is flat and ready to use – preserved in their natural colours, with no paints or dyes. Each piece is then cut and delicately positioned to form detailed illustrations; all brimming with the intricate twists and tangles of plant life."

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Book Synopsis

Learning Options

Drawn from Nature is the most breathtakingly beautiful picture book of the nearly 80 reviewed here in the last year. Seriously, if I could purchase only one picture book this year, this is the one.

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Picture book, non-fiction, 64 pages. A breathtakingly beautiful book with hibernating hedgehogs, forest fungi, and many more animals and insects created entirely of pressed plants.

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Family Read Aloud Time
Hours of together time can be found in sharing this book with children and not just reading the science-based descriptions -- it would be fascinating to try to identify specific petals or twigs on each page.

Classroom Resources
Drawn from Nature is an art teacher's dream resource. The composition of each page is mind-boggling precise; my favorite is the full page Owl on "Summer Nights" with tiny, delicate Queen Anne's Lace used for the soft belly feathers.

Learning at Home
Perhaps it's time to pull out, build or buy a plant press as you prepare for spring lessons? Plant identification, a study in seasonal changes, gardening, art - the learning possibilities are broad and deep.

• Pressing Plants: Connecting Science, Art, and the Natural World, Oregon State University
• Pressed Flowers/Plants, Science World
• Pressed Flowers and Leaves, KidsGardening

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