About.

 

Hi, i'm Stefan Rusbourne, founder of Mowgli Studio.

I'm a plant-based home and commercial space designer, botanical stylist, and wedding designer.

As long as I can remember, i've lived with a close relationship to nature. So close in fact, sometimes I think I was actually raised by plants.

Let me share with you one of my earliest memories. I was two years old, playing in our green, tree-filled backyard with my sister. We were leaping off a platform, again and again. Our goal was to catch and swing from a tree branch that was just out of reach. I was so determined and was jumping with all my might, hoping to show my big sister that I could do it.

After many failed attempts I gathered all of my will for one last try. I finally reached the branch. As soon as I felt that sceatchy bark in my little palm and felt absolute joy, I heard a crunching. The fibers of the branch creaked and bent in my grip, then SNAP... the branch broke.

I felt the gravity begin to pull me down towards the earth and I crashed into the ground, the tree branch still held firmly in my hands. I realised that when I landed my lef bent underneath my body. In my leg I could feel a jaggered knice edge of splintered bone. Not onloy had I broken part of thar tree, I had also broken my leg.

Lying on the ground, tears welled into my two-year-old eyes and I cried out in pain. The next few months saw me bandaged up in plaster, unable to play outside. As the pain slowly began to fade away I remember feeling really sad for a long time. Why would that plant hurt me?

I wondered why a tree I loved would upset me so much. As the bone in my lef weaved itself back together, I went into the backyard and saw, just like my leg, that the tree was sprouting a new branch from its broken trunk. Until this point I had no idea that the tree was also hurt. I had a flash of understanding that the tree hadn't tried to hurt me at all, it was teaching me.

Over the last months wse had healed together, the plant and me. It had taught me that through our collective pain we could grow and learn together. 

What that tree seeded all those years ago is alive in me today. I dont believe we have a choice in living with plant, I believe we need to. The love and connection I feel with the natural world is something I wish to share with everyone, everywhere. 

In our homes, plants create oxygen that fill our lungs. Each breath we take is enhanced and nourished by their tireless work converting the energy from the sun.

I believe every family needs to share a bond with nature. This has led me to base my life around plants and trying to bring as many of them into out lives as possible. The lesson that plant taught me has helped me understand that each one of us has a plant reaching out.

Today MowgliStudio is dedicated to helping you find that connection with plants. How we integrate, position, nourish and care for them in our living areas help in reconnecting ourselves to our plant-based teachers.

We are after all, raised by plants.