Welcome to our “Monthly Mini Feature”! We are highlighting different local artisans and crafters who have been busy imagining, creating, dreaming, and doing!

Our Maker of the Month for May 2022 is Holly Dilatush of Tonglen Art!

Holly’s love for flowers has grown substantially over the years. As a prior owner of retail floral shops she has very much enjoyed learning about “all things flower”, growing her own plants, and designing beautiful flower arrangements.

Her latest works have been based on pressed flowers, a process in which she hand-selects the desired flora, carefully collects them for drying and pressing, and then transforms them into works of art!

Holly has created colorful greeting cards w/ matching envelopes, multi-media art pieces, and sometimes sells her pressed flowers for others to place their own creative touches on them.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Holly has since lived 20+ years in upstate New York, spent some time in Maine, resided for a year-and-a- half in South Korea, and 19+ years in the Charlottesville, Virginia area. Holly now lives in Southern Maryland where she continues to grow, maintaining several gardens at her home.

Find Holly’s artwork for sale at:

Tonglen Art on Etsy

Tonglen Art on Facebook

St. Mary’s County Arts Council Gallery & Gift Shop in Downtown Leonardtown

By special order via contacting Holly via her Facebook page.

Watch for an upcoming summer 'make and take' offering here at SMC Arts Council - Gallery & Gift Shop when you can come meet Holly, learn more about pressing flowers, and create your own pressed flower note card and frame-able pressed flower artwork!