I have a vivid memory of the moment when plants became something more to me than what they looked like or how they tasted.

When I was about 9 years old my class went on a field trip to the foothills, home of the Ohlone who have resided and lived with the land there for thousands of years. We stopped and sat under a big Oak tree with our guide and he picked several leaves from a plant that was sprawling under the tree, it was Yerba Buena. He put the herb in a big thermos of hot water and let it steep while he talked about the lives of the Ohlone tribes and how they would travel up to these mountains certain times of the year to gather plants for food, medicine and basketry. While drinking the tea together it was at that moment when I felt something light up within me.

There was an unseen connection that I couldn’t explain until I became older and began to understand and know who these plants are, and how much they provide for our lives; physically, emotionally and spiritually. You could say that this day marked the beginning of my ongoing love and respect for the plant world. It was also the spark which ignited my desire to learn everything I could about plants and their history of use by indigenous tribes throughout the world, from their place in the Earth’s ecology to what they provide as far as food, medicine and craft.

Hello, I am Nicole Larson, curator of Živa Botanica. I am a mother, earth steward, basket weaver, artist, herbalist and naturalist, continually curious and grateful for Earths beauty, gifts and ecology. I live and work from my home on a mossy forested hillside on the Salish Sea, where there is an abundance of flora, fauna and fungi living among salty breezes and just the right mix of sunshine and rain. 

I have been studying herbalism, physiology and the natural world for over 30 years, applying the knowledge to help myself, loved ones and my wider community become aware and empowered to keep themselves healthy. Within the last twenty years I began exploring local plants for fibers and basket weaving, beginning with teaching cordage and utilitarian baskets with my outdoor education programs.

I love being able to create useful and beautiful vessels from sustainably harvested plants. I feel it is important and wise to find ways to replace harmful plastics and utilize what grows near you, especially if they are invasive plants. Engaging plants in this way forms a strong connection to our place, and one really gets to know and become empathetic to the natural world around you.

My hope is to inspire and help others to also gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the Earth, instilling in one a need to love, protect and nurture. This desire to protect and become a steward of the Earth is vital for sustaining that which we all depend on for our lives.