Botanicals, Bicycles and Charles Francis Saunders

Monoprint 4" x 4"

The above was a quick study of the foliage of a plant I found growing in a meadow by the bay. Perhaps sometime I will post about the technique I used to make the print. (It's very low cost and easy.) Below, is a botanical illustration from a wonderful field guide compiled by Charles Francis Saunders and published in 1929. I found it at a garage sale and couldn't resist it. It measures merely 3" x 5", has gold ink on the cover, and is filled with 250 botanical illustrations that were "prepared" by eight artists. According to Mr. Saunders, Nuttall's Dogwood (Cornus Nuttallii, And.), pictured below, was apparently named for the "famous naturalist who visited the Pacific Coast some 80 years ago and made important collections." (If you're doing the math, that would have been in 1849.)

Image 1" x 2"

I like the contemporary feel of the Mesquit plant, below.






And somehow, the radial "habit" of the Mesquit plant ties into the radial spokes of the bicyles in one of my favorite vintage ephemera finds, below.

4" x 4" label

(From the inside of a "Can't Be Beat" cigar box.)

Isn't it great?! It always makes me smile and motivates me.