Botanical casting is an art form that involves pressing plants into clay and creating a plaster cast of the resulting impression. This technique captures the intricate details of the plants, translating their ephemeral beauty into lasting bas-relief artworks.
From her studio, in Newtownmountkennedy, Erica Devine, a museum conservator by training, has elevated botanical casting into various innovative applications. Participants in her tutorial will learn how to create pillar candles entwined with wildflowers and garden ornamentals; semi-translucent window panels that capture a mist-filled meadow, botanical furniture panels, soap, chocolate and even cake.
To share her expertise, Erica offers both a comprehensive online tutorial, or an in-person monthly event at her workshop, Studio Scim, located in a converted 18th-century grain store in the Wicklow countryside.
This new tutorial, whether online or in-person, is ideal for people in the crafts business looking to expand their offering and indeed individuals with a creative flair who would like to learn a new hobby that will stay with them forever.
Erica is an artist and craft maker. A graduate of Trinity College Dublin and of Durham University, she worked as a conservator at the National Museum of Ireland, the National Trust in the UK and as an advisor to award-winning historic houses and museums.
Her great love of nature and a creative drive inherited from a long artistic lineage led her to pursue the art of botanical casting.
She has featured in solo and group exhibitions including the Design and Craft Council of Ireland’s Craft Village at Bloom in the Park and Sculpture in Context in the National Botanic Gardens.
Innovation and collaboration are at the heart of Erica’s design and making process. Erica has been part of the Wicklow Craft Trail since 2024, a carefully curated selection of craft makers and artists based in the garden county of Ireland.
Erica’s approach is deeply rooted in her love of nature and her experience working with historic decorative arts.
Her creations reflect the ancient and enduring beauty of plants, emphasising their timelessness by removing colour and highlighting form, much like fossils.
She often draws inspiration from the natural landscapes of Ireland, capturing the essence of places through their native flora.
Her collaboration with other artists and designers, such as award-winning furniture makers, Zelouf and Bell, and commissions by interior design companies such as Millimetre Design for the Powerscourt Hotel, showcase the versatility and appeal of botanical casting in contemporary decorative arts.
Erica’s commitment to environmental sustainability and her passion for niche projects drive her to teach and inspire others, fostering a community of creativity around this unique craft.
Details of the online tutorial and the studio sessions are available at ericadevine.com.
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