Gathering with Friends: Meet Ronni Nicole

After Nicole set the table and Laura and Adelyn arranged the centerpieces for our harvest gathering, we turned to Philadelphia artist, Ronni Robinson, to personalize each setting with her gorgeous flower “fossils”– fresh botanical elements pressed and preserved in clay. Ronni’s nature-focused process aligns perfectly with our own philosophy of bringing the outdoors in, and her fossils brought such a meaningful touch to our table. We chatted with Ronni to learn more about her art, how she created the terrain table settings, and why community is so important to her.

terrain: Hi Ronni, we we so honored to have you join us for dinner! We’d love to know how you got started with your flower fossils.

Ronni: I’ve always preserved flowers–I’m in love with nature. As a child, I used to skip the concrete cracks just so I wouldn’t harm the weeds peeking out. The first flower I ever preserved was by accident. I used flower stems as bookmarks and it didn’t take me long to realize I could also preserve their beauty that way too. My floral fossils are an extension of my flower obsession. As my passion has evolved overtime so has my art.

terrain: The fossils you created for our table are so special. Can you walk us through your inspiration for these beauties?

Ronni: Anemones are my favorite flower. I just finished creating my fall limited edition collection and when your team invited me to your Friendsgiving table, I knew immediately that I wanted to use the rest of my Japanese Windflowers. They have so much movement and although they look delicate, they are very hardy flowers. I pressed a dozen of them to capture a perfect impression to use as my mold. Once I had the mold, I was able to create a number of them using my layering plaster technique. That way the silhouette of the flower would pop out.

terrain: We hosted this meal to as a way to celebrate community and the togetherness of the season– what do these mean to you as an artist?

Ronni: A sense of community is very important to me. When I decided to make a real go at being a “serious artist,” I wanted to find other women artists and creatives to connect with, but in my search I found so much more. I’m surrounded by women that want me to succeed. We look out for each other. We cheer each other on and lift each other up. I don’t have to be perfect, I just have to do the best I can. And because I have such a great community around me, I feel invincible. It’s the type of freedom everyone deserves.

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