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Inspiration

"Plants & their Application to Ornament" by Chronicle Books

My work tends to deal heavily in flowery typography and ornamental Victorian doodads, so this book has become a constant companion. It’s a reprint of an 1897 design primer, and displays a series of increasingly abstracted renderings of various flora, from realistic illustration to graphic pattern. Most of the patterns in the book aren’t really my cup of tea, but they get the wheels turning and make me think in terms of filtering my sketches and observations into graphic elements. And since I’m in need of some new reference material, both for upcoming letterpress projects and for the new artist book I’m working on (more on that another time), I thought I’d see what spring in the Northwest had to offer. So on Thursday my friend Nicole and I took a little field trip to the Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle and strolled along Azalea Way, cameras in hand.

Cherry blossoms photo by Chandler O'Leary

And boy howdy, those cherry trees weren’t kidding.

Everywhere I turn I hear complaints about how pokey spring has been ’round these parts, but I have to say—if this is late, I can’t even imagine what “early” means. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve lived anywhere that had blossoming trees by early April. We had a late spring in Minneapolis last year, the last spring I lived there—which meant that it was Memorial Day before the blooms had anything to say about it (I know, because I was fretting about the bare trees right up until my wedding that weekend). So I’ll take this Northwestern spring, and be very, very glad.

Cherry blossoms photo by Chandler O'Leary

Cherry blossoms photo by Chandler O'Leary

The sun decided to join us, illuminating every perfect bloom in turn.

Magnolia tree photo by Chandler O'Leary

A few magnolia varieties were ready for their close-up;

Magnolia tree photo by Chandler O'Leary

while the saucer magnolias thought they’d sit this one out. But those branches! Each tree looked exactly like a candelabra.

Azaleas photo by Chandler O'Leary

Camellia photo by Chandler O'Leary

Not to be outdone by the trees, the shrubs and perennials had their say as well.

Clover photo by Chandler O'Leary

Even the greenery was super-saturated (no need for Photoshop today!).

I came away with a head full of ideas, and my work cut out for me. Nicole and I weren’t the only artists out that day, either; Azalea Way was just crawling with oil painters, watercolorists and photographers—and other like-minded folk who seemed to have quit their day jobs to do what they love.

Diving ducks photo by Chandler O'Leary

The ducks, however, were working overtime that day.


3 thoughts on “Inspiration

  1. Lara

    Those cherry trees are gorgeous! It reminds me of one of my very favorite art songs that I sing: Loveliest of Trees by John Duke. All about the cherry tree in blossom.

  2. GeekKnitter

    I bumped noses with a honey bee yesterday while weeding the front garden… I’m not sure which of us was more surprised! I know very well that complaining of late springs here in the northwest drives my friends in colder places nuts, but I suppose it’s all about what you’re used to.

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