botanical illustrations by wanda.direct in Bucharest

When I started painting these comissioned oversized botanicals, I knew I wanted them to feel alive—not just painted on the surface but part of it. That’s why I chose plywood as the base. The texture, the grain, those natural imperfections—they became part of the story I was telling. It’s like the wood already had its own history, its own rhythm, and I was just adding another layer to it. Each plant I painted felt like it was growing out of the wood, like the roots were sinking into the grain and the leaves were finding their place in the texture. I deliberately left the wood visible because I didn’t want to hide that connection—it’s raw, imperfect, and grounding. It reminds me why I love painting: to take something simple, like a garlic bulb or a leaf, and make people notice it in a way they never have before. These pieces were for a restaurant, but for me, they’re about more than decoration. They’re about magnifying the beauty of the everyday, finding harmony between the natural and the crafted, and creating something that feels both rooted and alive. Every time I see them, I hope they make someone stop, look closer, and maybe even feel a little more connected to the world around them.