Of Oak and Ash is first and foremost, an herbal botanica. I have been studying plant based botanicals and herb craft since I was a teenager, but more recently have been serious about studying the craft and healing communities with folk medicine. I am not a “licensed” herbalist or naturopathic doctor. I am a folk and community herbalist and artist who learns from mentors, teachers, peers, friends, and most importantly, plants. I am also a seeker of rarities, oddites, and strange, esoteric items.
My areas of research include Northern European and nomadic peoples’ history and medicine, early medieval botanical illustration, and folk mythology. In every facet of life, my interests of art and ecology mirror the critical need to archive and use folk medicine traditions and document our knowledge. My paintings and block prints depict mythical and occult themes, as insight into the whimsical and spiritual aspects of nature.
My herb craft draws from local desert sources and studies of both indigenous local plants and European traditions from Old World knowledge. I’m specifically interested in Northern European and nomadic peoples’ history and medicine. I also strongly believe in folk medicine, by the people, for the people. I do not and will not, however, exploit or appropriate First Nation traditions and cultures, and communities of color customs and traditions into my practice.
Stay strong,
Kim
Of Oak and Ash (Botanicals)