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Is moss wall art the solution I have been looking for? Incorporating greenery into my home and office environment is so important to me but as I have made very clear in previous posts, keeping plants alive is not my forte. Very quickly after opening my coworking space for women, I ended up bringing in the faux plants because the real ones kept dying. It makes me feel so bad so I am always on the lookout for ways to bring in more greenery but that don’t require lots of care and attention.
I came across this amazing moss wall art by biophilic artist Paola Di Legge of Ninfa Studio and I just had to find out more about her amazing biophilic artwork. Luckily this intriguing moss artist agreed to do an interview for me so let’s find out a little bit more about her and her moss art decor.
Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am a curious person, I love losing myself in the details of certain things (such as intricate moss art designs) and keeping a super high-level view of other things, whilst trying to keep the right perspective. I discovered that creativity is my fuel and I reach my flow when I create something that others are going to love. That’s why I only work on my moss wall art pieces when I’m inspired and full of good vibes.
My other loves are travelling around the world, spa days and yoga retreats. I stopped doing them when I had kids and I’m already planning my big return in a few years. I like interior design, Japanese culture, art and retro groovy style. I love being with friends, and family and as with every good Italian, I love good food and spending hours at the dining table, laughing, drinking good wine, eating and…eating some more…
How did you come to be living in Dublin?
I graduated in foreign languages in Italy so after I went off to spend some time in Spain, I moved to Dublin, where I started my first (serious) work experience and got to know the guy that became my husband… so my initial short-term work experience became a 20-year journey in Ireland.
In your previous profession, you worked in cybercrime investigation and project management. What was it about this career that made you want to make a drastic change?
I enjoyed working in the corporate world at the time. I learnt very diverse skill sets that I am still using right now, like project management, which really helped in setting up the business and managing big projects and commissions. What I didn’t realize at the time was that the environment I was working in was actually affecting my mental health.
During the last period, I was working in a temporary building and my desk was away from the window so I had zero exposure to natural light. During winter I was getting in the office in the morning while it was still dark outside and getting out in the dark as well. I only realised at a later stage that this total lack of sunlight and disconnection from nature was deeply affecting my physical and mental health. I then decided to take a career break and I studied innovation and entrepreneurship, in search of my true calling…
How did you first discover the power of biophilic design?
I guess my latest studies in innovation & entrepreneurship prepared me for a mindset shift and I was willing to embrace a new venture. I didn’t know what it was going to be but I knew it has to be centred on sustainability and on people’s wellbeing. At the time I was attending a floral design course as a hobby and during my research on flower installations, I found preserved flowers and plants.
I had just moved into a new house and decided to make an order for myself. I immediately fell in love with the textures and vibrancy of the materials and I deep-dived into how to make moss art. I didn’t find any proper course on moss wall art so I experimented with different materials and handcrafting processes and fell in love with making these amazing green wall art pieces.
I deep-dived into the effect that moss art had on people and studied biophilic design and appreciated how it helps people drastically reduce their stress levels and improve their well-being by just being more in contact with nature in their own home.
I reconnected with my life experience when I was working at the office totally disconnected from the outside world and that made me even more aware of the wellness and benefits that living close to nature was having on me and my family.
I started to decorate my home with plants, natural materials, I had moss wall art everywhere and I implemented small changes that made a big difference, like changing the curtains with lighter blinds to let much more light in.
Having lived the benefits of applying biophilic design principles in my home and actually verified that preserved moss and plants actually did last years without requiring any maintenance, this made me decide to start my own business and share this with people. This is how my journey into biophilic design and moss art started.
Can you tell us more about your moss wall art?
My moss wall art utilizes nature as a creative means to represent the importance of nature, in all its forms, in our lives. Inspired by abstract representations of natural phenomena and fractals, the organic patterns and colours create a combination of rhythms and fragments that are symbolic of life force and how everything in nature is connected and diverges towards the same goal: the permanent connection of humans to their innate natural being.
The textural aspect of the natural materials creates interest from a close-up perspective as well as from a distance, where colors and textures blend to create a movement effect and a sense of mystery that reminds us that we ARE nature and as such, must pause to look at things from different perspectives, becoming present IN and WITH nature.
The endeavour to create thought-provoking artwork through a sensorial experience of nature reveals the transformative power of human-nature connections aimed at increasing human well-being through the awareness of our responsibility and impact on planet Earth.
Why moss?
Moss and lichens are regarded as being the very first plants on dry land, they’re deeply connected to our primordial natural being and as such are able to convey that sense of connection to nature in a subtle way. From a more modern standpoint, the organic structure of mosses allows them to be easily preserved (not all plants can be preserved) and therefore they offer a vast array of textures and colours which open up endless creative possibilities to a moss artist.
Can you talk us through the creative process that you go through to produce your moss wall art?
Preserved moss is sold in its natural state and requires a substantial prep before it can be used in moss art. It comes with roots, it has soil attached and has pine needles everywhere…. it must be cleaned and cut based on where it has to go. The handcrafting process involves different techniques of cutting, glueing etc. based on the type of moss, the support where it’s attached and how it’s supposed to look in the final product.
The time it takes highly depends on the type, design and size of the work, it can go from a couple of hours to a month for more complex pieces.
Who are your customers for your moss wall art?
My customers are mostly women, aged 30-55, who love nature, craft, design, art, and interior design. They are looking for unique, wow-factor pieces for their home to be enjoyed and to make them disconnect from their busyness to be transported to another dimension, even if just for a moment.
What are the benefits of having moss wall art in your home?
Moss art elevates the interior décor of your home like a real, unique piece of art that wows you every time you pass by. It also has strong calming vibes making you pause and feel present in the moment. It also allows you to add much-needed greenery, it can be placed in dark spaces, it cleans the air and it’s an excellent sound absorber (especially reindeer moss). It’s safe for pets and doesn’t cause allergies since it’s not alive. It doesn’t attract insects or dust, and it’s maintenance-free!
Where is your favourite place to spend time in nature?
Killiney Hill is my happy place, just 5 mins from my home. It’s a beautiful hill full of lush vegetation, with plenty of ferns, mosses, unique trees, natural stone seats and an obelisk at the top of the hill from which you have a wonderful view of Dublin city on one side and a majestic view on the sea and bay on the other side, it has it all!
Preserved moss wall art is an amazing addition to the home if you are looking to create natural interior decor that can harness the many well-being benefits of biophilic design. Would you consider buying some preserved botanical art for your home? Let me know in the comments below what you think of the beautiful moss wall art by Ninfa Studio.
