M Studio talks creating bespoke botanical artwork for The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection
Fresh off the back of supplying her bespoke artwork to The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection, Mary Margaret Monsees of M Studio tells all on her involvement.
How did you become involved with the project?
I live and work in the Lowcountry of the southern USA where The Dunlin is located. The team behind Amanda Lindroth Design was thoughtful in their curation of local artists, makers and craftsmen to infuse the newest Auberge property with the charm and personality unique to this region.
What kind of brief were you given?
The Dunlin is located on an expansive property boasting marshland, wildflower meadows, vegetable and cutting gardens. My job was to capture the beauty and wildness of the landscape, bringing the scenery indoors and onto the walls of the lobby bar, Willet Room. I was asked to create 16 art pieces in my personal botanical style from plants, flowers and grasses collected from the grounds. The local flora is so robust I was able to pick, dry and press sixteen different plants augmenting the botanicals with paint and, ultimately, create an expansive collection of site-specific pieces that I couldn’t be prouder of.
This is my first commercial collection created from plants found on one particular piece of property, but I have long dreamed of making site-specific works capturing the feeling and beauty of the land. I’m looking forward to another project to explore landscapes both near and far from my home.
Tell us about the pieces you crafted for The Dunlin?
My job was to bring the outdoors in utilising my own style of botanical painting. In my process, I collect, dry and press flowers, and then paint and affix the dried botanicals to wood panels using resin epoxy. The result is a fresh, contemporary take on the well-established, and beloved, botanical arts.
Where can the pieces be found in the hotel?
The entire collection can be found in the lobby bar. Such a large collection occupies nearly all of the available wall space in the room, which makes for a unique viewer experience and reinforces the beauty of the land the hotel is situated on. Each painting showcases a different plant, flower or insect collected from the 2000-acre property and carefully preserved as an homage to the beauty of the Lowcountry.
How does the artwork draw on the interior design scheme?
The colors used in the design scheme of the hotel draw from nature as well. There are a lot of greens, whites and warm beiges throughout the furnishings and fabrics. The black background in my work serves to anchor the space, contrasting with all the neutrals and, of course, the green of the botanicals blends in seamlessly with the interior design.
