anne cavanaugh

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I collect and dry plant material (e.g., leaves, flowers, grasses, seeds, and berries) and arrange it into patterns found in decorative arts and architecture. Often times, these designs are inspired by or reminiscent of plant forms. By layering the plant material in encaustic, I can preserve it and use beeswax’s characteristics and natural connection to plants. In some pieces, I use plants because of their traditional symbolic meanings. In others, I choose them for their shape, color, size, or connection to people who gave them to me. When I make patterns with seeds, in some images laying each seed down one at a time, I compare the process to other crafts that require patient repetition and the accrual of many small parts to arrive at the finished work.

Anne Cavanaugh received bother her BFA and MFA from Boston University. She currently lives in Lowell, Massachusetts.