From the artist, Kristen Schwartz...

My odyssey as an illustrator for Faery Medicine began 14 years ago when I did the botanical illustrations for the book Medicine From the Mountains: Medicinal Plants of the Sierra Nevada. I developed a specialty in medicinal plant "portraits" that I really enjoyed as I had been studying herbology for some time. While illustrating for clients I was also designing exhibits around my botanical illustrations and my writing about the history and folklore of medicinal plants.

When I added faeries to my illustrations I developed a project called Faery Medicine. This project, which still exists today, embodies the history and folklore of medicinal plants in an effort to pass on valuable "plant wisdom" in a magical and entertaining way. The main vehicle for presenting this wisdom has been through short stories, or faerytales, and illustrations shown in exhibits. These stories and images have also been available on notecards and as prints. My motto is, "When the wisdom of past generations ceases to exist, so too, shall we". Because I believe this so strongly, a portion of all my sales as an illustrator goes to the Ethno Medicine Preservation Project which strives to protect cultural information regarding medicinal plants of all kinds.

The main inspiration for my fantastical illustrations comes from indigenous peoples and healing customs from around the world. I also feel a strong connection with the earth itself - the most ancient object we are in contact with on a daily basis. While I gain inspiration from studying cultural traditions and from an earthly connection that allows my characters a place to spring from, my daily dose of creative energy comes from Lake Tahoe, the magical place where I live and play.

To learn how these fantastical illustrations came into my story read the legend. To see more of Kristen's illustrations go to her portfolio website - KristenSchwartz.com

 

 

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