Bluet

$78.00

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[Framing available in two color choices for studio pickup. Please contact before purchasing.]

 

This limited edition blind embossed relief print is part of The Cameo Series which spotlights native plants encountered by the artist while exploring Western North Carolina. Printed from a hand-carved block, the absence of ink enhances the embossed shadows, emphasizing the intricate details of each plant’s form. Much like a cameo role in a film or a piece of cameo jewelry that highlights an individual, each piece in this series focuses on a particular plant, bringing attention to its specific role within the natural ecosystem.

 

Size: 10″ x 8″
Medium: Blind Embossed Linoleum Block Print
Paper Type: Stonehenge, cotton, archival, acid-free
Paper Color: Fawn
Limited Edition of 75
Numbered, titled and signed by the artist

 

Common bluets, also known as Quaker ladies or azure bluets (Houstonia caerulea), are delicate blue wildflowers native to most of eastern North America. These tiny, airy plants thrive in open woods with moist, slightly acidic soils, typically forming small clumps and reaching about 6 inches in height. Their slender green flower stems emerge from a basal rosette that stays close to the ground.

 

Blooming for about three weeks in late spring, common bluets produce two types of flowers: one with long stamens and a short style, and the other with short stamens and a long style. Each small flower, often no larger than a fingernail, has four petals that range from pale blue to almost white, with a bright yellow center where the petals form a short tube. This structure makes the nectar accessible to short-tongued native bees, such as small carpenter bees and some sweat bees, as well as several small early butterflies.

 

These early spring wildflowers are an important source of nectar and pollen, supporting various pollinators from late March to early April and sometimes into June. Additionally, bluet plants contribute to their ecosystems by stabilizing soil with their root systems, preventing erosion, and enriching the soil through organic matter decomposition.

 

Sources: https://www.backyardecology.net/common-bluets-delicate-blue-flowers-of-spring/, https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/houstonia-caerulea/

All prints are hand-pulled and my vary slightly.

Prints are carefully packaged and shipped within 1-3 business days.

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