The traditional art of flower preservation get's a new lease of life with artist Lacie RZ Porta's mid century modern inspired designs.  We spoke to the New York based artist about her craft and creative inspiration and most importantly what she does in her down time.  Keep reading for the interview.

When recently cleaning out some boxes of personal books and notes from my childhood in my parents house I came across a journal of mine that had pressed flower petals in it! So I’d say I got into flower preservation at a young age but didn’t professionally pursue it until 5 years ago, after I got married. The day after our wedding all the flowers from the centre pieces and bouquets were sitting on the porch of our venue, and I knew I didn’t want them to all go to waste. I handed some out to friends, and took a ton home to preserve. I did what felt natural and pressed the flowers in the pages of my heaviest books at home! I used the pressed flowers to design a frame and from there I grew to understand flower preservation on a deeper level. I experimented for years before calling myself a preservation artist!

Living in New York City there’s as much inspiration as there is visual overwhelm. I love spending time in art museums, slowly walking around and taking inspiration from artists before me from all mediums. I find myself seeking inspiration from minimalism art where the message is amplified through the negative space in the work. I draw the most inspiration from artists of other mediums and especially love seeking creative ideas from ceramicists, film makers, and graphic designers. My creative process is slow and intentional and focuses on the shape, size, and flow of the pressed flowers. I love being able to allow for negative space in my work so each flower and leaf has the ability to be seen in the frames!

It’s hard to name one person as my community is filled with so many inspirational people! Each person I’m proud to call a friend or member of my creative community has something that I find incredibly inspiring. I’m lucky to have so many inspirational friends in my life! 

One of my goals is to travel to more national parks! I’ve been to a few like Joshua Tree

and Crater Lake. I’d love to take a holiday just traveling around the country to see the rest like The Badlands and Yellowstone!