Maureen Ault – Artist

I am an emerging artist living with an Acquired Brain Injury. I use real pressed botanical materials to create beautiful, contemporary artwork. I was first introduced to the use of pressed flowers in traditional pressed art design and from this came an exploration of how to use pressed botanical materials to create unique works of art. I am pictured here with my Service Dog, Toby who is a constant companion and an important asset to my everyday life. All of my artwork has his paw print of approval.

My collection includes images of ballet dancers, everyday life, landscapes and wildlife that reflect themes of movement, and texture with an eye to detail. In addition to the main subject of my artwork, I am now creating in-depth landscapes and background landscapes to place wildlife in their natural habitat. I am inspired by the simplicity and folk art of Maud E. Lewis and Grandma Moses.

Each piece of botanical material (i.e., petals, leaves, grasses, ferns, bark) is layered onto archival paper using a tiny drop of glue. After much layering I am left with the finished artwork. One of the challenges I face using this medium is its limited palette since I do not add colouring to these materials. By sorting my materials for variations in colour, I can create shading, depth and detail. Another challenge is ​creating a lifelike image using a very flat medium. I use the layering technique, as well as building up layers of archival paper to lift the image off the paper, create depth and perspective. 

All of my artwork is framed under UV glass. The use of pressed or dried floral and botanical materials ensures that each piece creates a permanent image to be enjoyed as long as it is protected from moisture, chemicals and strong sunlight. 

Awards: Ontario Arts Council -Deaf and Disability Art Projects Grant, 2021-23


Title: “Blue Jay”
Size: 8×10″ Framed Under UV Glass
Medium: Pressed Botanicals on Archival Paper
Value: $375
Minimum Bid: $175
UA-44011131-2