Watauga County Farmers' Market

Mother Nature's Art

Bobbie Rudisill started making arrangements of pressed flowers to give as gifts for her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed pressing and framing her floral art so much that she kept on. Bobbie has had a great time this year veing a market vendor, it has been a joy for her to meet so many nice people.

Bobbie uses wildflowers or garden flowers from her own yard in her flower pictures, some are quite familiar while others are pretty unknowns. Some of her favorite subject are mountain laurel and yarrow, and especially Queen Anne's lace which form everlasting summer snowflakes. Sometimes the flower inspires the type of frame she will use for the piece, and sometimes a nice frame will inspire the type of flower to be used. All of Bobbie's pictures can be hung on a wall and the smaller frames have easels for placing on a table. Bobbie chooses creative papers or fabric for mounting that will compliment the form of the flower. The flowers will keep their colors indefinately as long as they are not hung in direct sun.

Bobbie uses a flower press or a heavy book and layers of newspapers to dry her flowers. Delicate flowers are protected with a tissue while drying. Most flowers will be ready for mounting after drying for four to six weeks.