Behind the Art - The Begining of my Journey with Nature
If you’ve ever wished you could keep a perfect summer day—a sunflower in full bloom, a quiet walk through the forest, or the soft weight of a tiny bird in your hand—this story is for you. This is how Dragonfly Treasures began, and how each piece of jewelry and décor is created to bring a little bit of the Boreal forest into your everyday life.
My Journey into Boreal Preservation
The Spark: A Summer That Wouldn’t Fade
My journey didn’t begin with a finished piece of jewelry, but with a single sunflower. I remember its vibrant, golden petals and feeling a deep ache at the thought of them wilting. I wanted to freeze that moment in time—to capture the essence of a Canadian summer and keep it through the long, white months of an Alberta winter.
That simple wish became a bigger question: how can you hold onto living beauty without losing its soul?
From Experiment to Art You Can Wear
Like many creators, my path began in the quiet of winter. With the snow howling outside my Cold Lake studio, I moved from simple acrylic experiments into the mesmerizing, complex world of epoxy resin.
Those early days were a lesson in humility. Resin is a demanding partner; it requires precision, patience, and a deep understanding of chemistry. My first attempts were far from the crystal‑clear “windows” I create today. But every failed coaster and messy pour taught me something vital about clarity, bubbles, and the perfect cure.
Over time, that experimentation became something more: a way to turn real flowers, leaves, and forest finds into jewelry and décor that feel like tiny preserved landscapes.
The Science of Drying: Keeping the Wild Alive in Resin
Everything changed when I started walking the Boreal forest with new eyes. I wasn’t just collecting pretty things—I was becoming an archivist of the wild.
Preserving a flower isn’t as simple as pressing it in a book. To keep the structure and vivid hues of a Boreal bloom, I had to learn the delicate art of botanical drying. Each tiny mushroom and fragile petal needs its own timeline and environment so that, when it’s finally set in resin, it looks as alive as the moment it was foraged.
This quiet, careful work means that when you see a bloom in resin, you’re seeing a real moment from the forest, thoughtfully prepared to last.
The Dragonfly: A Symbol of Wonder
As my skills grew, so did my desire to capture the more elusive wonders of the forest. That led me to the dragonfly. Found naturally and ethically after its life cycle had ended, this little creature became a turning point in my art.
Setting such a delicate, intricate being in resin requires a steady hand and deep respect. It’s about more than décor—it’s about honoring the “dragonfly treasures” that exist all around us, often unnoticed.
The dragonfly became a symbol for this entire journey: brief, magical moments of wild beauty, preserved so they can be appreciated a little longer.
Artistry Beyond the Pour
Today, when I look at my work, I don’t see a hobby. I see years of trial and error, thousands of hours of drying time, and a relentless pursuit of a glass‑like finish that lets nature shine first.
My studio still holds those early “ugly” pieces as a badge of honour. They are the quiet foundation of the expertise I bring to every new creation.
When you hold a piece of my art, you’re not just holding resin and petals. You’re holding a captured moment of the Alberta wilderness, shaped by patience, curiosity, and a deep love for the forest.
