Linnaea (Lin - nay - uh) is named for the Linnaean system of biological taxonomy. Each piece I make is intended to be wearable herbaria or a scene from nature.  

All specimens I use in my work are ethically and legally collected by me and made in my tiny shop overlooking the wetlands that I am the steward of for this moment in time in the beautiful Skagit Valley of Washington State. They are REAL plants, fungi, bones and insects that I electroform to make a permanent copper encasement. The specimen is still inside. Electroforming is the process of passing a direct current through an electrolyte which dissolves copper and electrodeposits it onto a prepared object. I develop a thick coating for each piece to ensure it will last and also that detail is maintained. I use a variety of patina methods to give depth and life to each piece and then seal them to maintain that finish.

About Me 

I have always been in love with the natural world. I could never choose between the arts and the sciences as a kid. I ultimately studied forest ecology in school and went on to work a variety of field research jobs. I have had many titles but at heart I am a botanist. All I ever want to do is go climb mountains and catalog all the plants I see along the way. I am known locally as a plant expert, a title I have earned over the last couple decades obsessively backpacking the Cascade Mountains of Washington State and doing just that. I dare say there are few plants along the trail or off that I don't know. I love sharing my plant knowledge with people and especially helping them with identification. That is why I will always tell you where I collected a specimen and something about its ecology.     

For my animal pieces, while it may seem macabre to some, my intent is always to honor the animal and I tend to focus on creatures that have conflict with humans. I love to showcase them in a better light and provide some type of education about how to coexist peacefully.     

For my mineral pieces, I'm an avid rockhound and hand collect all of my own minerals. This is important to me because when purchasing minerals, you truly need to know where they came from to know what the human cost was to get them .

When I make these pieces I have personal a story for each of them. Sometimes it is just a walk I was on, sometimes a multi-week trip, but each of these pieces connects me to the places I love and my love for the natural world when I make them, and I hope they do the same for you when you wear them. Perhaps they will even remind you of your own story.

. 

Megan Kirkpatrick