Ling Warlow
Paper Artist
A paper artist specialising in botanical art, I create visual representations of British wildflowers, trees and grasses as three dimensional mixed media sculptures.
Connecting with the nature in my local environment through regular walks I often use foraged materials including fallen branches, leaves and seed heads to both inform and incorporate into my work. Drawn to plants of wayside and scrub, heath and woodland, I explore themes of diversity, loss – and celebration. These humble wildflowers, keystones of our ecology providing food and shelter to insects, small mammals and birds, are too often seen as weeds. Through my botanical scultures, both large and small, I expose details not always visible to the naked eye. I aim to encourage the viewer to look more closely, hoping to inspire a connection to the natural world. Experiments in colour are driven by a deep interest in sustainability and the desire to leave a small footprint. Dyestuffs include foraged plants such as nettles, alder and weld, resulting in a pleasing organic palette.
"I am driven by my lifelong passion for British nature. The simplest flowers, which grow from a single seed, can take days - even weeks - to recreate accurately. My oversized sculptures enable the viewer to see details hidden to the naked eye. My practice honours the natural process by exposing the complexity of the smallest botanical specimen."
