An Artist’s Obsession with Seed Pods: Finding Inspiration in Nature

How My Fascination with Seed Pods First Began

It started quietly.

I have been a walker for a long time. On my walks, I began noticing seed pods scattered along the path—tucked into grasses, clinging to branches, or resting unnoticed on the forest floor. At first, I picked them up simply because they were interesting. I loved their curves, textures, and subtle beauty.

I didn’t think much of it at the time. I just kept collecting them. I placed them on a shelf in my studio.

Why Seed Pods Are So Visually Compelling to Me as an Artist

The more I looked, the more I saw.

Seed pods are full of contrast—soft and sharp, fragile and strong, simple and intricate all at once. Some twist open dramatically. Others hold their form with quiet strength.

As someone who is married to a wood artist and who loves to paint, I’m drawn to structure and form. Seed pods feel like nature’s small sculptures—each one carrying a story of growth, protection, and release.

Filling a Sketchbook with Seed Pod Watercolors

I started another small sketchbook and devoted it to seed pods. I started dedicating entire spreads to seed pods—exploring them from different angles and experimenting with color. Many of the pods I drew, I had never seen, but I thought were beautiful. Here is a sampling.

Painting Seed Pods from Places That Inspire Me

Many of the pods I paint are tied to specific places.

When walking along the Kirkland Trails near my home, I gathered acorns and photographed wild cucumber pods, milkweed pods, and jewel weed.

This led to a larger watercolor-and-ink painting focused on seed pods, while also showing other flora with textures I saw along the trail.

Root Glen in my town of Clinton, New York, is a beautiful place to visit any time. There are about 65 species of trees, dozens of shrubs, and flowers galore! This makes it a perfect spot for finding seed pods.

When visiting my son and his family in Texas, I was amazed at how different some of the pods were compared to those I find in Central New York. I brought my sketchbook with me and began sketching and painting pecans, various acorns, southern magnolia pods, and more.

However, my favorite place to find seed pods so far is in Naples, Florida, when we spend time at our condo. The numbers and variety blew me away. The area has numerous parks and beaches where seed pods are scattered. Naples Botanical Gardens has seed pods around every corner.

Being in the botanical gardens also led to a bigger painting. This one includes the Rainbow Eucalyptus tree. It is a real thing!

How Sophie Munns Changed the Way I See Seeds

While looking up different seed pods online, I came across artist Sophie Munns. Years ago, Sophie was an artist-in-residence at the Brisbane Botanical Gardens in Australia. She launched the Homeage to the Seeds program there. I was immediately drawn to her art (below).

Taking a course with Sophie Munns shifted everything.

She encourages her students to pay homage to seeds—not just to paint them, but to truly study them. At her recommendation, I started keeping a written journal.

I began researching the pods I collected. In my journal, I note which family each seed belongs to, how they are dispersed, whether they are native or non-native, their roles in the ecosystem, and more. I do a two-minute ink drawing of each pod.

Paying Homage to Seeds: Slowing Down and Studying Nature

That shift deepened my process.

I began to look more carefully. To notice differences between species. To appreciate the lifecycle contained within something so small.

They became more than shapes. They became stories.

Here are some other works that I have done in conjunction with Sophie Munn’s course.

What I’ve Learned from My Fascination with Seed Pods

If anything, this experience has reminded me to pay attention.

To look closer. To stay curious. To allow small things to become meaningful.

There is so much beauty in what we often overlook.

What began as a quiet curiosity has become something much more—an ongoing exploration of form, nature, and the quiet beauty of seeds.

Friends and family know of my passion. They send me photos of pods they have seen. Others come to me with pockets full of seeds!

If you have seen some interesting pods, I would be more than happy to get photos or the real things. Maybe you will find paintings of your pods in my sketchbook someday! You can contact me at LalondeStudios.

Beautiful Art for Life Well Lived,

Sarah