Culinary Canvas

WORDS Michaela Stehr IMAGES @culinary_canvas on Instagram

Twenty-three-year-old, London-based creative Lauren Purnell, known to Instagram as Culinary Canvas, transforms discarded food scraps into little works of art.

She saves all of the food waste that would normally be thrown away during cooking – pips, skins, peels and pith – and uses them to make a collage of a character or scene on a white plate.

What started as a fun project has quickly gained a large following, thanks in part to Culinary Canvas being featured on the Instagram Blog. The concept of using waste to create something beautiful speaks strongly to the current trend towards eco-consciousness and awareness.

Today is World Penguin Day!!! So here’s a #repost of my aubergine penguins.

A photo posted by CULINARY CANVAS (@culinary_canvas) on Apr 25, 2016 at 12:11pm PDT

April is National Frog month so I’m reposting one of my favourite pieces – the mango tree frog! #culinarycanvas #treefrog

A photo posted by CULINARY CANVAS (@culinary_canvas) on Apr 3, 2016 at 1:51pm PDT

#throwback to last week’s Panda piece! aubergine + parsley #culinarycanvas #tbt #panda

A photo posted by CULINARY CANVAS (@culinary_canvas) on Mar 24, 2016 at 6:27am PDT

Happy Spring Equinox! Mushroom + Sweet Potato + Chives #CulinaryCanvas #firstdayofspring

A photo posted by CULINARY CANVAS (@culinary_canvas) on Mar 20, 2016 at 10:13am PDT

Happy International #PolarBearDay Aubergine. #culinarycanvas #polarbear #foodart

A photo posted by CULINARY CANVAS (@culinary_canvas) on Feb 27, 2016 at 10:28am PST

#Throwback to last weekend in Amsterdam! The Dutch houses were just too cute. Pepper – Butternut Squash – Courgette – Aubergine #culinarycanvas #tbt #Amsterdam

A photo posted by CULINARY CANVAS (@culinary_canvas) on Nov 26, 2015 at 3:14am PST

Remembrance Day #remembranceday #remembrance #lestweforget #poppy #poppies #food #art #instafood #instaart #culinarycanvas #neverforgotten #pepper #avocado

A photo posted by CULINARY CANVAS (@culinary_canvas) on Nov 11, 2015 at 9:15am PST

Traditional Dutch #Windmill for @creators_project! #culinarycanvas

A photo posted by CULINARY CANVAS (@culinary_canvas) on Jun 10, 2015 at 5:09am PDT

Blossom Branch. Watermelon + Rhubarb #CulinaryCanvas

A photo posted by CULINARY CANVAS (@culinary_canvas) on May 25, 2015 at 12:20pm PDT

Happy first day of fall! #culinarycanvas

A photo posted by CULINARY CANVAS (@culinary_canvas) on Sep 23, 2015 at 9:03am PDT

See more of her work at culinarycanvas.tumblr.com.