First, the flower needs to be noticed …
… then it is picked …
… and finally, it is preserved
The Search for Petals
Let us now take a walk together in search of little flowers that will become parts of an image. On our way, the first we encounter are forget-me-nots—beautiful blue flowers that would make wonderful elements of an image, but …
The main components of toMAgo images are flower petals. However, we should not forget the green elements—leaves and grasses. The best greens for creating toMAgo images are thin, airy leaves and slender grasses with intense colours. Still, do not be afraid to experiment—pick a blade of grass that does not seem promising at first. Who knows, it might surprise you in an image!
Traveller’s Joy (Clematis vitalba)
Look at the airy connections in this image. People often ask me which plant this is. The answer is Traveller’s joy—a vigorous climber that hides in neglected hedges and twines itself around anything that can serve as support. If you come across this plant, save a few of its tufts and observe the effect achieved in an image with just a few of its feathery strands!
Petals in Orchards and Parks
In addition to meadows, petals for creating images can also be found in the flowers that bloom on various trees. Here in my orchard, apple trees and other fruit trees are currently in bloom. Parks are full of beautiful ornamental shrubs that delight us with the abundance of their blossoms. When a spring breeze blows, many petals end up on the ground. Bend down, pick up these delicate petals, and give them a new life in an image born from your imagination!
Many large trees also have flowers with small petals. I do not recommend climbing trees, as it may end badly—this applies especially to climbing fig trees! It is much safer to wait on the ground for petals to fall, carried by the wind and drawn by gravity. Zagreb is full of horse chestnut trees (who knows why they are called “wild” when they do not live in the wild!?), so you can find these blossoms even along the city’s green avenues, not only in parks or forests. This particular horse chestnut is fortunate not to be surrounded by asphalt—who knows how long it will live and how much more it will grow. It is only about fifty years old.
Caring for Collected Petals
We have seen that petals were collected in various places—meadows, orchards, hedges, and flower beds. Our time with the petals continues once we return home. First, we check on the petals we picked and pressed a few days ago, and then we look at today’s “catch.” Already, we begin imagining what each petal might become. The two videos that follow last just under six minutes in total and reveal a few secrets and small tricks worth knowing when preparing petals for creating toMAgo images.
If you are interested in creating toMAgo images, I invite you to join us in the Facebook group toMAgo workshops. I will also be delighted to hear from you or answer your questions via email at marija.igaly@gmail.com.