JamJar Edit, for me, shine out as florists who’ve well and truly mastered the art of flower pressing. And I was delighted to be invited to their recent Flower Pressing & Cyanotype Print Workshop in London.
Today, I’m delighted to feature Part 2 of my blog post series. In this part, I focus on the Flower Pressing element of the workshop. (Part 1’s here just in case you missed it.) Creative Director Amy Fielding (pictured below) warmly greeted us at the studio that Saturday morning. Then once we were gathered, she gave us a brief history of JamJam Flowers and JamJar Edit.
The Flower Pressing Journey
Amy explained that the Edit first dipped their toes into the world of pressed flowers when in 2014 they were commissioned by Mulberry to create a SS15 fashion show invitation using pressed flowers. Mulberry were sending out Observer Gardening books as their invitations. And they wanted pressed flowers inside the books and on the front of their invites. You can take a peek here. Never having pressed flowers professionally before, the JamJar Edit team researched the process and then began pressing.
Further flower pressing projects for Sketch London and Rakes Progress Magazine have allowed JamJar to push the boundaries of this traditional art form. After visiting their installation at a Rakes Progress’ pop-up exhibition in December 2017, JamJar were approached by a private client to make a bespoke wall of pressed flowers that they would pick from the land surrounding the client’s Dartmoor home. A bespoke English oak frame was made to display the 28 individual panels of pressed flowers, which now sit proudly on the wall overlooking the gardens where the specimens grow. And you can see them here.
This project has led to not only create similar works of art but to also offer clients the opportunity to preserve a favourite plant, a bouquet or even an entire garden.
THE FLOWER PRESSING PROCESS
Amy talked us through the flower pressing process, sharing lots of hints and tips. For example, pressing flowers when they’re at their freshest to help retain their colour and form. Plus it’s often easier to place flowers face down to press them as you have more control over their positioning.
PRESSING OUR FLOWERS
Following Amy’s guidance, we selected seasonal flowers from around the studio. We then placed them into our JamJar Edit flower presses, which we were to take home with us. I don’t appear to have any photos of this happening … possibly due to my excitement! But here’s my finished press, full of flowers.
MAKING ARTWORKS
Amy then demonstrated how to make designs using dried flowers, recommended a particular brand of glue and showed us how to apply it.
Then it was our turn…
It was so much fun! And I really can’t wait to see how my pressed flowers turn out. Look out next week for Part 3. In the meantime, if you’d like more details about the workshop which is taking place again next month, simply visit the JamJar Edit website.
(Images: Rona Wheeldon | Flowerona)
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