Artist calls upon Mother Nature to craft stunning artworks out of twigs and flowers

Nothing taped, nothing glued, just Mother Nature balancing delicately on itself. That's the thinking behind these beautiful artworks by Chicago-based artist Vicki Rawlins who spends a lot of time outside walking and foraging for the materials she needs to create them.

From little buds and petals to twigs and leaves, Vicki uses anything she can find from every square inch of her surroundings. She explains: "A fallen leaf goes into the bag, later it may become an eyebrow or dog ear. I pick up thin twigs, hoping they’ll work as a cheekbone or chin. The possibilities seem endless!

"Once back in my studio, the twigs go down to form the face. Sifting through fresh rose petals, I’m in search of the perfect pair of lips. Next, being very careful not to sneeze, I use my tweezers to place the white petal of a German Statice as the finishing highlight in the eye. There’s a freedom in knowing everything I’m doing is temporary."

After Vicki finishes each piece, she documents them with a photograph, being very careful "not to bump the table and Mother Nature’s house of cards". She then recycles everything back into the earth. She adds: "Everything you see in these portraits came directly from the earth. It's my way of paying respect to Mother Nature in a sustainable way. Anyone can try this at home! Forage your neighbourhood for fallen bits or do some snipping from your own garden, find a flat surface, and see where it takes you!"

If you love her natural artworks, you can purchase flower prints and greeting cards from Sister Golden – an online shop by Vicki and her daughter. Or follow them on Instagram for more natural inspiration.

Via direct submission | All images courtesy of Vicki Rawlins

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