PINK Californian

Course: VS Drawing Nature

Instructor: Florencia Pita

TA: Selina Gottloeber

Cooperator: Allen Ming Fei Teng

The term ‘pink’ transcends the chromatic to embody a concept—a representation of native resilience and ecological storytelling, the sunset hues of Los Angeles. As we traversed the undulating trails, handpicking each specimen, our venture was not just about collecting hues but also about preserving the delicate narratives each petal holds. This project captures the lifecycle from the physical to the digital, where the essence of pink—the essence of life in its most vibrant form—is reinterpreted, remade, and reimagined. 

At an invigorating trek amid the waning days of the flowering season through Ascot Hills Park, our quest to uncover native plants presented both a challenge and a revelation—the hills were speckled with an array of blossoms, not all indigenous to the region. This precise selection was crucial, as the project’s heart lay in celebrating the native nature.

Post-hike, urgency was paramount. The delicate petals, vulnerable to oxidation, demanded immediate pressing to preserve their vibrant hues and delicate forms. Guided by Linda P.J. Lipsen’s “Pressed Plants: Making a Herbarium,” our meticulous efforts sought to encapsulate the natural beauty in its most authentic form, contouring with an artisan’s precision. From the pressed and preserved, we embarked on a transformation of form—nature rendered digital. The delicate intricacies of petals and leaves, once three-dimensional and wild, were reinterpreted into lines and shades within a digital medium—a new existence in a virtual realm. This digital flora then journeyed further, transitioning into the realm of the mechanical. The CNC Mill, typically known for its subtractive prowess, was repurposed to trace our botanical blueprints, etching digital representations into tangible form.