umbelliferae

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2017 herbalwheel_progress1 lores

The circle of herbs has been cut for weeks, but there’s one slight hold-up. Actually, not one, but four, as in four corners, one per block and, realistically, it’s not been a slight hold-up either. Normally I would have an idea of the overall design of a piece before I even start carving. This time I focused on the circular portion and, for a brief time, considered stopping with the round layout. Apparently I wasn’t really committed to a parsley family mandala, hence the four blocks sat in the studio waiting. And then along came the corner crows, ready to preside over what is now officially titled Herbal Roulette!   

 

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2017 herbwheelblocks

So far, so good, but still decisions to make. Herbal Roulette.

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IMG_0674 roulettesketch

Hemlock, Conium maculatum, and several of its nefarious relatives, are members of the Apiaceae (or Umbelliferae) family of plants, commonly called the parsley or carrot family. This is a large family of more than 3700 plants and deciding how to represent it in the As Potent as a Charm series has been a bit overwhelming at times. Inspiration arrived in a remark in a Peterson Field Guide, Easten/Central Medicinal Plants by Steven Foster and James A. Duke. In describing Golden Alexanders (also among the Apiaceaes), the author stated, “Amateurs fooling with plants in the parsley family are playing herbal roulette.” Aha! A wheel it is! This time the format will be circular, rather than the narrow rectangle of previous prints. A dozen sketches have been chosen, four of which are poisonous; further decisions are pending, but soon the fun will begin!

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