May 18, 2020

Botanical Pressings by Peta King at Kings Framers

By Sophie Rose King
Botanical Pressings by Peta King at Kings Framers
During May 2019 we decided to take part again in Lewes' Artwave Festival.
For the first time ever, after much family encouragement, our co-founder Peta King stepped out of her comfort zone and exhibited her own work in our High Street shop.

 

Peta loves plants and is a keen gardener at home during her Sundays when the shop is closed.
As a child Peta was often pressing flowers, petals and leaves in a simple traditional press, and into books and diaries.

For years now, she has been channeling her creativity and green fingers into sowing, growing, pressing and arranging botanicals.

 

 

Each pressing has a caption below, in Peta's distinctive hand writing you can learn the common name, the latin name, family name, location and date of picking.
This research has broadened and deepened her interest in the making of these artworks.



Peta has worked in many variations of scale, from the best selling 9 x 9'' to the brilliantly oversized 6ft long works.

 

Peta also works to commission, perfect if you have a sentimental plant that you'd like to treasure, or a special occasion (wedding, christening, birthday, anniversary etc) coming up and you'd like to keep the memory of those botanicals forever.

Last Summer Peta gained her first commission for a wedding bouquet, which was a combination of Cosmos, Queen Anne's Lace and Love In The Mist.

The beauty of this collaboration is that whilst Peta is spending time creating these artworks, her husband Stephen is in our workshop with Alex making the frames to house, display and protect the pressings.
Inspired by classic Victorian botanicals, Peta chose a simple solid oak moulding to keep the cost down and to maintain a focus on the specimens. This style also blends well in every possible surrounding as they go to their new homes.
However, we can hand finish all our frames ourselves so there really is an infinite choice of design, we can work to any specification and decor.


A set we recently sent off to a customer in Jersey.

With Summer now upon us, Peta has spent her spring and additional time during the lockdown, excitedly expanding her raised beds in the garden and planning her planting scheme for picking. 

Peta's Instagram: @petasophieking

You can browse and purchase Peta's work online now, and in our shop on Lewes High Street in Sussex, once we are able to re-open.