ABOUT BABES AND BOTANICALS
Who?
Babes and Botanicals is run by Polly, a Queer artist living in Walthamstow, East London.
Originally hailing from Yorkshire she has now lived in London for nearly 10 years after moving to study Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art.
What?
Through Lino printing and digital art work she creates botanical portraits of babes living their best lives.
Alongside making her own work, she runs plant-filled life drawing & Lino print workshops predominantly in Queer spaces.
Her artwork and classes aim to celebrate under-represented, marginalised bodies and identities. Helping people feel seen, uplifted and empowered.
How?
Lino prints: are a relief style of printing. The print is created by carving a design into a Lino block, rolling ink onto the block and pressing it onto paper. The Lino block can be used multiple times to create a series of prints.
Digital prints: Digitally draw in procreate on my iPad and printed.
Why?
During lockdown she started taking a range of inclusive, body positive, life drawing classes via zoom. These gave her a much needed escapism from the pandemic and helped with her own body image issues. Alongside these classes, she started making Lino prints, inspired by her life drawings and love of plants. And so Babes and Botanicals was born.
Life drawing has been shown to have positive effects on mental health and body confidence. She has taken the opportunity to run classes and workshops, aiming to use a diverse and inclusive range of models. She recommends to anyone in need of a creative outlet, who struggles with the way they feel about their body to take a class!
Where?
Find Babes and Botanicals on Instagram for the best place to stay updated.
Values?
Babes and Botanicals is an intersectional, queer, feminist space. Supporting equality and social justice and much more.
The oppression of living in a marginalised body has had a significant effect on Polly's mental and physical health and she aim's to create work and run workshops that helps others living in these bodies through increasing positive representation and create safer spaces to exist in.
Looking after the environment is important to Babes and Botanicals and all packaging used is recycled, recyclable or compostable,
Collaborations and Commissions?
Would you like to commission your own Babes and Botanicals portrait or another art piece? Take a look at my commissions page and fill out a form. If you would like to book Babes and Botanicals to host a class or workshop please get in touch with you ideas, I’d love to hear them.
Alternatively send an email to babesandbotanicals@gmail.com
Charitable Donations?
A portion of my profits are donated to Black Minds Matter UK. A charity whose mission is to connect Black individuals and families with free mental health services — by professional Black therapists to support their mental health. I hope to donate more and to other charities as the business grows.
Got a question for me? Get in touch and I will happily help you.