Botany for designers

I have started taking a class at the Boston Architectual College called "Botany for Designers". For a recent project, we went to the MFA to look at how paints are depicted in art. Below are several of the pictures, drawings and descriptions i completed

The simple design of this chair highlights its beauty. Chinese art and furniture is defined by its minimalist approach. This particular chair does not have any ornate designs, instead it has a small scene on the center back rest. A few twigs, a flower and a resting bird, is all that is carved. However, this small detail amplifies the magic of the chair. The few twigs and leaves infuse life back into the chair. It is as if the chair is still a living organism. When I look at this chair, I don't see a chair made out of dead wood, but instead a chair that is still alive.

In this 1930's Japanese scene, we see that the center piece of the painting is the carefully pruned flowering bamboo plant. While the women on the left is holding and caressing a small pet dog, the women on the right is literally pampering the plant. Look at her focused gaze and her steady hand as she applies a choice amount of water, through a specially created contraption. Furthermore, the women to the left and the dog are both also focused on the plant. The painting demonstrates how plants can also take on identities and become cherished individuals in our lives.

Several weeks ago, I visited a peony farm. At the time, the five acres of peonies were about a week away from blossoming. One morning, I assisted in the de-budding (or dis-budding as they call in the biz) process. Plant after plant, row after row, I clipped off the small buds, allowing for the plant to devote energy and nutrients to the main flower. Especially interesting was that all the buds were covered with small ants. These ants would eat glucose and bacteria growing on the flowers. Interestingly, both peony and ant share a symbiotic relationship for without the ants, the plants would take longer to blossom.

Indian culture is rich with metaphors and the deeper meaning and essence of a story is represented within symbols—often times plants. Buddah sat beneath the Bodhi Tree where he vowed never to arise until he had found the Truth. In this illustrated manuscript, Krishna has slayed the demon Dhenuka. The whole manuscript is covered with trees and plants, so much so, that Krishna is not the center focus of the piece. Instead, it is the beautiful and idyllic garden. The cows and people which are interwoven with the scene, create an image of a peaceful, serene and jovial place, despite the murder scene in the lower left hand corner.