Nature as Designer

I recently discovered a wonderful book which has brought me lots of inspiration.

 It's called 'Nature as Designer' by a Swedish man named Bertel Bager. He was a surgeon by profession but had a passion for collecting and documenting the often overlooked details in nature. 

He loved the seeds and pods and fruits and he photographed them like they were ceramic vessels. He was interested in pottery too and pondered whether the original ceramicists were inspired by the vessels of nature themselves.

  

 He gives the seeds centre stage, photographing them with dramatic lighting and making them look much larger than they really are.

He made them look like pieces of art.

His friend encouraged him to make a book of his work to inspire and educate others and with each specimen he tells stories about where he found them and what he loves about them. 

I had a lovely time taking these pictures the other day next to my seed and pod collection.

Which made me look up close again and get inspired to draw.

 There are just so many great shapes in nature.

And there is just SO much to learn.

Towards the end of my little photo shoot I took the old dusty jacket off the book and discovered an uncanny resemblance to my little Tiny Treasures book.

A similar font, a similar book cloth, gold foiled lettering and a gold seed pod motif on the front! I too tell the tales of where I found the seeds and pods and what I love about each one.

Now I feel a kind of kinship with this guy. From one seed pod nerd to another!

This book is a rare find and the only one I have found so far that expresses a passion for these seeds pods and fruits being fascinating, functional and downright beautiful artistic forms.

It was first printed in 1967 and is not in print anymore but I found a copy on Abe Books.