The herbarium is making a comeback, and pasting en pressing plants has never been more fun. In Issue 17, four herbarium fanatics describe the joy of pressing flowers. One of them is the Dutch illustrator and artist Maartje van den Noort.
Maartje: “It gives me such a peace to study a tiny bud or lead closely and then draw it. I’m not very precise – I’m not a botanical artist – but I love drawing what I see. Even if it’s not entirely realistic. As long as I can capture the mood. I think a lot of people reach that point now and then when everything becomes just too much. Maybe that’s why we feel such a need for nature; and it’s been proven too that it makes you feel calmer. It’s great if you have a little place somewhere or a book that entices your senses. Just working on something small and peaceful like the beauty of a flower pressing.”
- You can find the article in Issue 17.
- As an extra, we put a mini version of the Pocket Herbarium, made by Maartje van den Noort and Saskia de Valk, in this issue.
Text Jocelyn de Kwant Photography Gemma Hayden Blest
