Author, curator, and educator specializing in the representation of nature in modern and contemporary art. Tireless gardener.
Founder and Editor in Chief of Antennae: the journal of nature in visual culture.
The inner root and bark of the tree contain alkaloids that were heavily relied upon in traditional Cherokee medicine. The bark was boiled into a tea to treat digestive issues, fevers, and rheumatism, while poultices made from the bark were used to heal broken bones, snakebites, and skin boils.
It runs until November 8, 2026, featuring nearly 190 items, including fashion accessories, paintings, and natural history specimens. My contribution is on the taxidermy of birds of paradise. Many thanks to curator Stephanie Xatart for the kind invitation!
Margherita is not only an exceptionally talented artist, but also a true plant lover, someone who understands that drawing plants begins with the rare and generous act of looking at them closely and patiently.
A true cultural icon with stunning flowers loved by pollinators and distinctive foliage. Related to magnolias, as the shape of the flower might suggest. #tuliptree #native #indigenous #tree #illinois #northamerica
In her work, attention becomes a form of care that through observation acan instill ways of deepening our relationship with the natural world.
More info about Margherita's work at the link at the artist's website: margheritaleoni.com
@margherita.leoni.art #botanicalillustration #art #plants
While in Milan last autumn, I had the great pleasure of meeting botanical artist Margherita Leoni, who has been leading illustration courses at the Orto Botanico di Brera since 2000.
It's always a joy to see the tulip tree bloom at this time of the year. One of the most spectacular North American native trees, Liriodendron tulipifera has been used by many Indigenous tribes to carve canoes as it grows particularly straight and tall.
