Tyler Thrasher is living life in his own way. Everything he does is filled with passion. It spills out into the world and inspires others to do the same. How do I know this? He inspired me. He is a multi-disciplinary artist utilizing his deep love of science and nature to create his unique world. Thrasher is also an ideal example of the successful working artist, thriving outside of the mainstream art world. His studio runs through his incredible imagination and a hard working staff. Best known for his glowing moonbeam flora and his crystalized creatures Thrasher is always coming up with something new and works with photography and illustration as well. In his lab he has figured out how to create his own opals and has been experimenting with opalizing flowers.
For his famous Moonbeam bouquets, Thrasher collects, dries and preserves flora concentrating on invasive plants in his local area of Tulsa, Oklahoma that are dominating the territory of native plant species. The preserved flora are then coated in incredibly bright phosphorescent mineral powder. He and his assistants have developed several different glowing pigments which shine in a variety of different unique neons, including mauve. Yes, a neon mauve. These flora are sold as bouquets or you can sign up for the moonbeam flora subscription box and receive a new glowing plant monthly until you have built a bouquet to display in your home.
The box is $20 a month and with over 1,000 subscribers Thrasher is doing very well with his totally out of the box creation. If you are ever in Boston you can see the moonbeam flora installed at The Chemist Cocktail Bar, 109 High Street.
As a lover of plant life Tyler is also well known for his collection of rare variegated monstera. A collector of plants he turned his garage into a greenhouse where they have quite literally taken over and are rooting themselves into the walls. He also has a love of succulents and has managed to crossbreed several creating new species including the CRASSULA ‘THRASHULA’, his first successful hybrid. Thrasher also wrote and published a plant journal full of tips on things like fertilizer, pests, soil and more with room to document your own gardening journeys. A second book, The Universe in 100 Colors, Weird and Wonderful Colors from Science and Nature released on September 24th, 2024.
I love sparkles, but not really dead bugs or animals. Thrasher put the two together and made me a lover of his crystalized series. Immersing insects, tiny skeletons, skulls and shells in a special solution they emerge covered in vibrant crystals and are then mounted in glass vitrines. These pieces are stunning and very special one of a kind art pieces.
As a follower of Thrasher’s instagram profile I love how open he is about his life and family. It connects you to someone you may never meet and makes you want them to succeed. He shares his family, his thoughts on mental health, the realities of being addicted to your phone (he’s currently on a social media hiatus trying to kick the addiction) as well as trials of being a small business owner on his instagram page.
Last year he began killing the grass in his front yard in order to begin growing food and cultivating more indigenous plants into his garden. Doing this is better for the environment than the traditional lawns we see in suburbia. Thrasher seems to always be out to set a good example for the betterment of our existence and his positive energy exudes from his stories as he pursues his many projects and goals.
After years of working in the art world the artists I find most inspiring and interesting are the ones who have figured out how to circumvent the status quo, are doing things their own way and being successful at it. Tyler Thrasher is one of those people. His fascination with nature, plant life, insects and preserving them in death is something that drives his practice. Right alongside that is MAGIC. He is a literal wizard. From crystallized moths mounted behind glass to glowing flower bouquets that last half a century he is always innovating and creating. His love of his work is infectious and illustrates that following your dreams is well worth the effort.
BE BOLD. BE UNIQUE. DO WHAT LIGHTS YOU UP EVEN IF NO ONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT YOU’RE UP TO.
Sign up for his newsletter via his website or if you’re on social media give him a follow on instagram @tylerthrasherart
Profile of Tyler Thrasher written by Katherine Alexis Clausen