Natural art at House of Culture

We’ve seen lifelike images in oil paints and everyday life in watercolors but one woman is turning the actual scenery into a different art form. Entomologist Lola Simon is going to change the way you see dried plant material like flowers, leaves, bark and even grass. She has an exhibit on at the House of Culture.

Lola Simon, Heris Nursery

“It really is much easier than a lot of people believe. People look at it and say gosh it’s such fine work; it must take a long time to do this. But actually it doesn’t. It’s an old biological technique that I have put together in art form and it’s not as difficult as it looks.

I press the flowers first, all the lovely flowers and they keep their color. Once I have pressed flowers that have good color I then make something as it comes to mind. However I feel that goes down in the preparation.”

If you would like to see Simon’s work, her pieces will be on display until November fifth at the House of Culture. All the work, including the framing is done by Simon and her staff at Heris Nursery at mile forty-three on the Western Highway. She has a Masters Degree of Entomology from California State University of Long Beach.