In today's post, we share some of the artwork created by Eden Overland of Camano Island, Washington. Eden, aged 10, has created these from natural materials she has found growing or fallen onto the ground around her.
"I went all around our neighborhood with my mom gathering all the items. I brought them inside and organized them. I gathered a lot of different plants and put them in groups by plant type and color. I got a piece of paper and started arranging the plants and petals on them."
The Great Garden
by Eden Overland
In The Great Garden, above, Eden uses many different types of plant pieces to create a panoramic scene of a garden, including bits of cedar branches, California poppies, clover, and small sticks.
One of my favorite parts of this scene is the way she uses sticks and small bits of cedar to create the three trees at the back edge of the garden.
Beautiful Butterfly
by Eden Overland
In Beautiful Butterfly, the focus is on a single butterfly with the artist using layered rose petals and contrasting bits of other plant materials on top of those, creating detailed wings of the butterfly, with stems turning into the butterfly's antennae.
Eden describes her process in this way, "I didn't start with an idea of what to make, but came up with an idea once I saw the materials laying out. Then I cut some of the materials to the right size and shape. "
Bunny
by Eden Overland
Rose petals are used again in Bunny, with white petals gathered and used in contrast to pink petals to differentiate the stomach and the inner ears of the bunny.
Another element that you can see in more than one picture is the round seed pod, which represents the sun in some of the pictures and the nose of the bunny in the picture above.
In answer to what she enjoys about this kind of art, Eden said, "I like making nature art because it is calming when you create and it's a different way of doing art than using paint or markers."
Hot Air Balloon
by Eden Overland
Rose petals are transformed into something new in Hot Air Balloon, with the rose petals now becoming part of the balloon structure, dotted by bits of purple and blue flower blossoms. With the rose petals floating in the sky, there is definite feel of the hot air balloon lifting off the ground into the sky.
As Eden says, "You can make really cool stuff with it and other people should try it."
Beautiful Ballerina
by Eden Overland
In Beautiful Ballerina, a rose stem is put back-to-back with its petals turning it into a dancing creature, poised on two legs atop a field of green leaves. With the pink butterfly overhead, there is a feeling of life and movement in this imaginative and appealing scene.
Again, in Eden's own words, "All you really need is something to gather the materials, a background piece of paper, and scissors."
Eden Overland
Reflection Questions: What appeals to you in these pictures? What can you do with some found materials, a background piece of paper, and a pair of scissors?
Feel free to leave a comment for Eden below or contact me directly at info@circlewood.online.
Louise
If you are interested in reading an earlier post from Louise about another artist who uses foraged materials, click here.
