MF Cardamone

For most of my adult life and for as long as I can remember, I have been a visual artist who is passionate about nature and ecology. The work that I have done in the past always had something to do with the environment - because it’s what I care about. In the past several years a few things have happened that have influenced this current body of work: I bought a house with a beautiful old garden, I enrolled in a 3 year Horticultural program at the Barnes Foundation Arboretum School to learn how to restore this garden, and I found the teacher of Traditional Chinese Medicine I’ve always been looking for and I became his student.

As I was restoring my garden I fell in love with plants and their life histories and wanted to record this information- and do it in a way that was educational and entertaining. So I had this idea to create documents- quirky documents that record different aspects of plants. The anatomical, medicinal, ecological and the spiritual parts of plants. My work is also part social commentary. I’m interested in the relationships that people have with plants. For inspiration I looked back into the past, at historical Herbal manuscripts, Botanical art and illustration and herbarium specimens, which are known as natural history specimens. I’m also influenced by many different schools of art in the art world.

Compositionally, I juxtapose elements, so the work becomes like a visual puzzle that evokes a sense of wonder and mystery in the viewer. Because that is the way I feel about the natural world. I’m awe of its beauty and it power to sustain and heal. I also want people to enjoy the humor of my work because its part of who I am.

My technique is a combination of several different media that are collaged together. Original pieces are produced in small editions on 100% watercolor paper. I use a variety of media including: collage, photography, gouache, acrylics, and pen and ink.

Throughout time man has always contemplated and illustrated plants to help sustain and gain a better understanding of himself and the natural world. And I love contributing to and continuing this tradition!!!