To Begin, Texture

Above all other considerations, texture leads the design here at Wildstone Botanica. Texture is the foundation of the work, be it fresh, dried, minimal, or expansive.

Texture is the quality which can be decided by touch. Rough, smooth, delicate, soft, hard. How a botanical material feels. How it makes us feel. Also, it is how a surface – of leaf, flower, bud, stem – presents visually. For me, texture is multi-sensory. It is the direct route to emotion and connection.

Form, shape and structure follow next. I lean into the inherent nature of the materials. How each stem wishes to behave, either individually or en masse. Does it bend seductively, or remain upright? How will removing the leaves alter the appearance? At which point in the lifecycle does a material offer the greatest weight – bud, fresh bloom, faded bloom or seedpod? When is this material in season? What structures will convey this design best? An exploration of possibilities tempered by the realities of circumstance.

Colour comes third. For me, to lead a design based upon colour, is to sacrifice the opportunity to find deeper meaning. Allowing colour to take a back seat initially, means you design with less constraint. It allows a palette to emerge which feels cohesive to the feeling and form of the design. Colour plays an essential role, but in my opinion, it has a supporting role.

The first stage - feeling and instinct.

The second stage - curiosity and practicality.

The third stage – nuances of palette.

Behind all of these decisions are the many varied considerations involving time, space, season, and brief. Having an authentic point of origin pulls all these factors together, creating an impactful, balanced, cohesive design.