If you’re looking for some artistic inspiration, then look no further than your surroundings. Nature has an infinite amount of amazing things, both living and non-living, that can spark creativity. Hannah Bullen-Ryner is one of those artists who finds solace and inspiration from Mother Nature by using leaves and flowers to create fascinating bird portraits.
This is actually not the first time you’ve heard about talented artists using foraged and locally sourced materials to create amazing artworks. We’ve previously featured artist Raku Inoue who crafts beautiful insects by using flower petals, leaves and twigs. Bullen-Ryner also uses the same approach but instead of insects, she creates mesmerizing birds out of foraged natural materials.
Artist crafts intricate bird portraits by using foraged materials
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Furthermore, the artist has a deeper purpose on crafting portraits. As a painter and a photographer, she has always turned to the calming beauty of nature whenever she felt down and weary. However, she began to struggle with anxiety after giving birth to her twin daughters three years ago. She suffered from postnatal depression and felt completely lost. But she had always hoped that Mother Nature would help get her back on her feet.
While she was spending some peaceful alone time in a small patch of woodland, she began foraging leaves and twigs around her. Then she found herself arranging the foraged materials in the form of a bird.
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Looking at her finished piece, she felt reconnected with nature and that gave her a new ray of hope. It’s like Mother Nature telling her to keep moving forward. She continued making portraits by putting together flowers, leaves, berries and twigs she scavenged from her surroundings. For Bullen-Ryner, it’s not just about making impressive art but it’s also about connecting with nature as a way to heal a broken spirit.
Here is what the artist had to say
“Once I started making pieces using only natural materials, I began to truly see all the little details and uniqueness of each and every plant, tree or bush.”, Bullen-Ryner said. “The tiny wildflowers, the wonderful array of berries, the constantly changing rainbow of color and texture. I am inspired by the forage, the excitement of not knowing what I will find that day, and never knowing what I will end up with after a creative free-flow.”
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Just like any pieces of art made of natural materials, her portraits show the enchanting charm of nature. But for her, it’s the ephemerality of the pieces that make it so special. Besides, she captures each piece on camera and shares it with the world before nature reclaims the materials. Follow the artist on Instagram to see all of her lovely creations.
Her work is also fascinating because not only it is stunning but you can also learn about birds to. As you can see the image below features a Hummingbird.
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So, let’s take a look at some more of her amazing art
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Lots of different materials are used to, Pistachio shells have been used to create this stunning piece of art.
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Other artist’s work is also showcased, look at this cute little pouch!
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All of her work is so intricate and in images like this one you can really see how much work goes into one portrait. These two birds are stunning.
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Most of her work features just one bird
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while in portraits like this one there are lots of birds and it looks so cute.
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So, what do you think of this beautiful natural art? Let us know in the comment section below! We don’t know about you but we love them all.