Kentucky Artist Jennine Greaves Reimagines Classic Wedgwood Style Using Real Flowers and Plaster

Artist Weekly Contributor

VERSAILLES, Ky., May 2025 — A Kentucky artist is exploring ways to revive the elegance of 18th-century design through a medium that is both deeply personal and visually timeless. Blending classical craftsmanship with the beauty of botanicals, Jennine Greaves, founder of YSF Intaglio Art, creates unique wall pieces using real pressed flowers and hand-cast plaster.

Inspired by the refined neoclassical style of Josiah Wedgwood’s famed Jasperware, Greaves’ work draws from historical aesthetics while embracing the emotional intimacy of nature and memory. Her art presents a thoughtful alternative to mass-produced décor, offering handcrafted depth in an age of fast design.

At the heart of her process is a reverence for nature. Each piece begins with fresh botanical material—flowers, stems, and leaves—that Greaves either forages herself or cultivates in her own Kentucky garden. These are pressed into clay to form intricate molds that aim to preserve the delicate textures and structures of the plants. She then casts the impressions in a custom plaster blend, producing dimensional floral reliefs evocative of classical bas-relief techniques.

The plaster pieces are hand-finished in soft, matte tones like vintage blue, blush pink, and pale green—shades historically associated with Georgian interiors and Wedgwood’s own palette. Some pieces are left unpainted, highlighting the purity and natural elegance of white-on-white textures. The result is wall art that blends past and present—natural and architectural, ephemeral and enduring.

“The goal has always been to create something that feels rooted in history but emotionally resonant today,” says Greaves. “These aren’t just decorative objects. They’re keepsakes—sometimes memorials, sometimes mementos of a season or a celebration.”

Kentucky Artist Jennine Greaves Reimagines Classic Wedgwood Style Using Real Flowers and Plaster

Photo Courtesy: Jennine Greaves

Indeed, the personal nature of Greaves’ work is what helps distinguish YSF Intaglio Art. In addition to seasonal collections, she offers custom commissions where clients send in flowers from meaningful life events—weddings, anniversaries, births, and memorials—to be preserved as botanical impressions. Each finished piece can serve as a tangible memory, frozen in time with care and artistic sensitivity.

With a background in fine art and design, Greaves brings both technical skill and emotional intelligence to her practice. Her work has attracted a growing following across platforms like Etsy and Instagram, where collectors and design lovers are drawn to the calming, organic feel of her pieces. Her art is now featured in homes nationwide, often styled in nurseries, foyers, and reading nooks, as well as at wedding venues and on curated gallery walls.

This rise in interest aligns with broader cultural trends: the return to nature, the appeal of handcrafted goods, and the growing movement toward slow, intentional living. In a digital age, people are increasingly drawn to tangible pieces that reflect authenticity and permanence. Greaves’ plaster botanicals seek to capture not just the form of nature, but its emotional presence—quietly powerful and deeply human.

Designers and homemakers across a range of aesthetics—from English cottagecore to minimalist modern—have shown appreciation for Greaves’ work for its versatility and charm. Each piece offers a neutral, natural element that can complement various interior styles while serving as a subtle conversation piece.

Greaves continues to produce limited seasonal collections and maintains a waitlist for personalized commissions. All work is created in her Bardstown studio, where every step—from pressing florals to mixing plaster and hand-painting—is completed by the artist herself.

Collectors can view available works and learn more about Jennine Greaves’ artistic process at www.ysfintaglioartbyjenninegreaves.com. She also shares behind-the-scenes content and new releases on Instagram at @ysfintaglioart.

About Jennine Greaves

Jennine Greaves is a botanical artist and the founder of YSF Intaglio Art, based in Bardstown, Kentucky. With a background in fine art and a lifelong love of nature, Greaves creates handcrafted plaster wall art using real pressed flowers and classical techniques. Her work draws inspiration from 18th-century European design, particularly the refined aesthetics of Wedgwood Jasperware, and reinterprets it for the modern era with organic forms and sustainable practices. Her pieces have been featured in homes and collections nationwide, offering a unique intersection of natural beauty, historic charm, and contemporary craftsmanship.