AWARD WINNING PRESSED FLOWER ARTIST LIMING TWANMOH

My name is Liming Twanmoh. My family resides in New Rochelle, NY, about 15 miles north of New York. Gardening and growing house plants have been a life-long hobby of mine. When I lived in a large and sunny house, I always tried to keep a fresh bloom inside the house all year round. I hold a Ph.D. in Chemistry and have worked as a research chemist for most of my career.

A few years ago, while searching for a Christmas present for a dear friend, I discovered the world of pressed flowers. To learn more, I searched and read most titles on pressed flowers in public library and was dazzled by the beauty of the pressed floras and the works that were shown in these books. Before long, I started to press everything in sight. I quickly realized that pressing flowers involved far more than simply pressing flowers between the pages of a book. The best results in terms of color, texture and shape are the product of modern technology and many special flower pressing techniques. With a small collection of nicely pressed floras on hand, I began to make bookmarks, greetings cards and pictures. It was very rewarding to share them with friends and families. When a hobby becomes a full time interest of mine, family and friends have requested artwork to mark special event in their lives, such as bookmark or wedding favor and picture with message for a bride. To improve my skills in this art, my reading and collection of books extended to watercolor, pastel painting, drawing and Oshibana (Japanese art of pressed flowers).

While I don’t have a large sunny garden to myself, I’ve found visiting local florists to be perfect for finding fresh cuts for my artwork and adding color to my home. My intensified interest in pressed flower art has heightened my attention to the limitless possibilities around me. There are so many available materials suitable for pressing, such as wild flowers at road side, herbs at a farmers market and fall foliages, of course. I often use grasses and wild flowers in my work. Their scale and simplicity add element of elegance into my picture of pressed floras.

If you are interested in learning more about pressed flowers or my work, please contact me at liming@pressedflora.com. If you would like a unique present, I would love to create a special design, just for you.