Casting Flowers

"Whether in small tiles with a single flower portrait or large panels that suggest an entire garden full of blooms, Rachel Dein’s botanical castings reflect her desire to capture the ephemeral. They track the progress of the seasons, marking the plants at the moment when they are most alive. It is as if she has distilled the flowers’ essence into her tiles, each one the memory of nature itself."—Ngoc Minh Ngo, author of Bringing Nature Home and In Bloom

"Casting Flowers tells the story of a fleeting moment of glory before each plant depicted has faded – their texture, pattern and delicacy rendered rich in the plaster casting."—Sorrel Everton, Gardens Illustrated

“Since the earliest civilizations in China, ancient Egypt, and Minoan Crete, people have wanted to catch and keep the ephemeral beauty of the flowers that in nature fade too soon. Rachel Dein has devised, and practiced now for many years, a dazzling form of preservative art in which transient beauty is held for years to come at its moment of perfection. What she makes is that miraculous thing: the everlasting garden.”—Sarah Raven, author of A Year Full of Pots

“This pleasant debut from Dein shows how to create bas-reliefs of plants... The comprehensive instructions provide all readers need to get started casting, and explanations on how to create reliefs from concrete or layer different colored plasters highlight the creative possibilities of the medium. Crafters will be inspired.”—Publishers Weekly

“Demonstrates the subtle artistry of casted flowers. Readers will want to look up many flowers and plants as they craft.”—Booklist

“Whether you’re crafting simple flower portraits or intricate garden-inspired panels, Rachel’s step-by-step instructions make it easy to record nature’s fleeting beauty.” —Sunset

“Casting Flowers is both an invitation and a manual for gardeners, crafters, and artists alike to preserve the garden in sculptural form.”—Sunset Magazine

“Mesmerising works of art that exude a gaze-at-for-hours-and-never-get-bored quality.”—Modern Gardens Magazine