Honoring sacred relationships with the indigenous flora and fauna of her homeland,
Justina Freel (b. 1975, Pasadena, CA) is a transdisciplinary garden horticulturist, floral designer,
and contemporary botanical artist, in the mediums of watercolor painting, printmaking,
and silhouettes, known for illuminating ephemeral moments of native nature.

Centered around connecting to the beauty of wild untamed nature, and healing the trauma of fragmented ecosystems. The raw elements of pigment and paper are paired with hand processes of traditional arts and crafts, collaged through multiple overlapping mediums of watercolor painting, hand ground Earth mineral pigment relief printmaking, and hand-cut paper silhouettes. Actively preserving female generational heritage of matrilineal craft traditions, Justina collects and presses heirloom textiles into paper to record the story of every thread. These pressed paper textiles are backdrops for her watercolor paintings, and subtle textures of the sculptural silhouettes. She has a conscious commitment to using natural materials and processes that are non-toxic for herself and the environment.

Justina has received a BA from The Evergreen State College in Ethnobotany & Floriculture, and a BFA from Art Center College of Design in Illustration. Her works have been exhibited at California Botanic Garden and the Sturt Haaga Gallery in Descanso Gardens.