Botanical printed art book making in Finland

By chance of traveling in the Nordic country Finland, I was delighted to teach a bunch of ladies for the handmade art journal making.  Arriving Helsinki in late spring, I can smell fragrance while walking with host Kirsi in the woods. First sight is the amazing black & white trunks of  birches lined the road into suburb.   Love the trunk textures and some looks music notes. It's between late spring and early summer, green sprouts just come out.  Nature is colored with different green hues. Pastures with little yellow and white flowers formed beautiful landscape.
Upon settled down I immediately picked some plants nearby for sample printing.
Plants on paper and leather are so impressive. 

藉刦北歐芬蘭旅遊之際，很高興能與一組藝術同好者分享我的植物印

染手工製作小本，春末抵達赫爾辛基時，我與Kirsi在樹林裡散步聞到原野芬芳。印象深刻的是通往郊區道路兩旁與森林的黑白樹幹白樺樹，很喜歡樹幹的紋理，有些看起來像音符。正值春末夏初，綠芽初綻，大自然被不同的綠色調子所籠罩。點綴著黃色和白色小花的牧場構成了美麗的風景線。 安頓好後，我立即在Kirsi 家園周邊採了一些植物來測試做樣品，紙品和皮革上的植物印染效果獨特。
且看隨後參與者的繽紛創作，並把紙品釘裝成獨特藝術小本。

 

 

Kirsi was so kind to show me around her tranquil village. Finland has tens and thousands of lakes. Just a few minutes walk is a lake close to Kirsi's house.

 

We both made samples on leather with the local foliage. All are new species to me. Each piece has good outcome, plants of no pigments even nice resist shape.

 

Testing on paper with natural dyes also bring out the hues and colors.

After my sampling of assorted plants, the following days are ready for participants.

 

My samples of art journals are shown for reference

 

Welcome packs of assorted papers and materials are ready to go.

 

First to dip papers in solution with kind of alum and sodium carbonate

  

Sandwich stacking of papers and plants

 

In the beautiful garden of my host studio participants just pick the weeds, flowers and foliage at fingertips.

 

A "hamburger" is packed  

 

Each with a pack of their favourite plants of "hamburger"

 

Batches in a pot cooking for an hour

 

All come out of different hues from logwood, madder and even mushroom

 

Drying flat overnight

 

Then they are going to make an art journal of coptic binding

 

In a relaxing sunny day, each made their signature art journal

 

 

 

This is the sample I made with local plants for the demo.  It's a nice keepsake of my stay.

 

The following day we're going to print leather. After I showed the mordant of leather and dried, they're placing plants. 

 

 

 

Bundles of leather are tightly wrapped and steamed

 

Rich colour with blue logwood background 

 

Look at details of mushroom, birches, gerbera and some plants I can't remember exactly the names

 

  

 

Such vivid printing on leather. My days in Finland not only for teaching, It's interaction with people and we all get inspired from each other. Host is so nice to let me stay in the tranquil village Karjalohja. A house with sauna and a few minutes walk to lakes and also cycling around.  Flat path walk along pastures and watching deer grazing grasses. Such leisure and relaxing trip.

 

 

 

Host Kirsi shown me around Helsinki town centre and Kiskari artisan village.  Thank goodness the weather was brilliant.

I treasure the great time in the Finland with wonderful people.