I took a bit of a break from this series for a handful of reasons, but I am back with an amazing new artist!
Betty Moon Studios
I had been following Erika (aka Betty) on Instagram for a while before I finally worked up the courage to ask her about being photographed. Her work is stunningly beautiful and has rich connections to the beauty of the island itself, which is part of what drew me to it. I popped over to the other side of the island at the beginning of March to spend a morning getting to know her and her practice and it was such an amazing experience! She was incredibly welcoming and her passion and joy for her work just beamed out of her.
Erika’s art is primarily based on foraging plants and flowers (and even occasionally insects) from the landscape around her and using those materials to make both pieces of art and functional home goods using resin. I tagged along on a brief foraging session just around her home and also got to see the various steps of the resin process.
Even though the forage was a quick one, it gave me a good feel for the staples in her work. Ferns have a big presence here in Hawaii, and thus her pieces as well, with a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes found in just a small area. Erika pointed out a few new ones to me, like the very pink/red one seen below!
The enthusiasm that Erika had for the plants that she foraged was absolutely infectious and I have found myself being much more observant as I walk around since our session. It has sparked a renewed jolt of joy and creativity from the world around me and I have been appreciating even the smallest of details when it comes to plant life. She is also extremely purposeful about how and where she gathers materials; never taking things without permission, spreading out her gathering so as not to kill a plant or leave a bare scar in that area, and always being respectful to the land while taking these materials.
Although we kept the foraging session within walking distance of her home and studio, Erika does venture around the island to gather materials that best fit the pieces she is working on. She is also hoping to continue expanding her work to be more site-specific, with a goal of foraging for plants on the property that the pieces will eventually be a part of. What an awesome way to create something extra special and meaningful for your home!
After gathering a good amount of flowers and leaves, we headed to the deck so she could walk me through the pressing process. One of the dogs that lives on the property also stopped by to help out and managed to get himself photographed a few times!
This part of her work honestly felt like an art process in and of itself, as she carefully arranged individual petals around the flower press. The way all the different plants interacted turned into something visually more significant than just randomly arranged elements. It also seemed like, had I not been present and chatting her ear off, it could have been a wonderfully meditative and calming task, almost like a puzzle, but one where the pieces fit together according to your choosing.
Erika walked me through the plants while we were out foraging, but she also gave me insight into what presses well and what does not while sitting on the deck. As has been the case so far with these sessions, I learned so much just in the brief time I was there! Beyond getting to know the artist and their work, the knowledge I gain of art practices different from my own is one of my favorite parts of this project.
Once the flowers were all arranged in the flower press we headed to one of the next parts of her process: sanding. Since she uses slabs of wood, often ones that are discarded and partially rotted, there is a lot of sanding and prep work involved before she can start any resin work. She also occasionally has to sand in between resin layers to keep things smooth and even, which is what she did while I was there with her. We had more visitors pop in (as close as they could) for this part; peep the two goats in the background below!
Finally, we headed to her makeshift studio to get into the resin part of Erika’s process! Her current studio space is essentially a repurposed garden shed, which although it presents some difficulties for the resin, I thought very fitting for her work. The rain started gently falling while we were there and the sound of the rain on the plastic roof was beautiful and soothing, again, a perfect complement to her work.
The resin process was a lot more simple than I had anticipated, or at least Erika made it appear that way. I was also shocked by how much the resin changed the color of the wood! It went from such a soft, muted color to rich and golden. It was really mesmerizing to watch the resin, and thus the new color, spread across the slab as she rotated it around.
After the first layer of resin is down, Erika begins arranging the previously pressed and dried flowers and leaves. She uses the shape and form of the wood to guide her placement, simply feeling things out as she goes. Like many of the other artists I have photographed, her work is very much based on intuition and spontaneity. And, just as I have said about other parts of her process, this step seemed very meditative. Her precision and attention to detail were also impressive to watch.
Because resin pieces require multiple steps, I didn’t get to see the one she was working on fully finished. But, Erika did take some time to show me a few of her recently finished pieces! Her designs are filled with movement and the way they related to the edges and lines of the wood creates wonderful harmony. The rich textures from the variety of plants that she uses also make the pieces extra interesting and keeps the eye lingering, searching for more details.
You can see more of Erika’s work and even purchase pieces at her website and of course, give her a follow on Instagram to stay up to date!
Do you know of an artist (or are one yourself) on the Big Island of Hawaii who may be interested in taking part in my project? If so, shoot me a message or comment below to let me know!