Andrew Brown awarded Jill Smythies Prize 2022

The Linnean Society of London has announced that Dr Andrew Brown has won the Jill Smythies Prize 2022 for outstanding diagnostic illustrations in botanical art.

Andrew Brown developed his skill in botanical illustration through his doctoral work on palynological vegetation history and during a career as an educator in the independent school sector. After retirement, he devoted himself to illustration fulltime. His detailed paintings of Alaskan wildflowers based on drawings done from life, have been exhibited at the Society and elsewhere. Other paintings have been selected for inclusion in limited edition botanical works, such as the Highgrove Florilegium. The black and white illustrations accompanying new species descriptions and floristic treatments demonstrate his skill in depicting detail, as well as the overall aspect of a plant, ensuring they are both faithful to the specimen from which they are drawn and aid in identification. He also contributes to the promotion of excellence in botanical illustration through his participation in societies and in botanical illustration workshops.
Citation for 2022 Jill Smythies Award

His award - and medal - will be officially presented at the Society’s AGM/Anniversary Meeting in May 2022.

About Andrew Brown

Dr. Andrew Brown

​Dr Andrew P. Brown GM 

• has been awarded four Gold Medals by the Royal Horticultural Society - in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999
• His watercolour drawings of wildflowers in Alaska were made during the Westminster School 1985 Expedition to the Gates of the Arctic National Park in the Brooks Range of Alaska. These were exhibited at:
  • 1987:  the Linnean Society of London
  • 1995: the Hunt Institute of Botanical Documentation in Botanical Watercolors by British Artists Andrew P. Brown and John Wilkinson 
• graduated from both Oxford and Cambridge Universities and taught botany and biology as a career. Prior to his retirement, he was Head of Biology at Westminster School, London
• In his retirement he has continued to be very active and has been 
  
  • Secretary of the Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society
  • author and Editor of the books associated with exhibitions by the Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society.  
    
• He now works as
  • a freelance botanical illustrator for Kew Gardens;
  • a member of the Picture Panel Judges for the RHS Botanical Art Show
  • ​​an educator

RHS Judge Andrew Brown providing feedback to Jackie Isard on her RHS Gold Medal winning exhibit - at the RHS Botanical Art Show preview day earlier this month.

• his scientific illustrations form part of the Kew Collection and he has given talks at Kew about how to prepare a complete scientific illustration through meticulous observation, planning and execution.  

Dr Andrew Brown giving a talk - From Plant to Plate - at Kew about producing a scientific illustration on the Worldwide Day of Botanical Art 18th May 2018

• his watercolour paintings are in the collection of the Shirley Sherwood Collection, The Transylvania Florilegium, The Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society
• his paintings have been exhibited at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art Kew Gardens - including in the "British Artists in the Shirley Sherwood Collection" exhibition in 2016

Andrew Brown with his Voodoo Lily in the 'British Artists in the Shirley Sherwood Collection' exhibition at Kew in 2016

About the Jill Smythies Prize - and the Linnean Society
​

You can read about the Jill Smythies Prize on the dedicated page on this website.
​
The Jill Smythies Award of £1000 and a medal is made to a botanical artist for outstanding illustrations. Through awarding medals and grants, the Linnean Society acknowledges and encourages excellence in all of these fields. 

A medal and £1000 to a botanical artist for outstanding, diagnostically relevant, published illustrations.
Established in 1986 by the late Mr B E Smythies FLS, in honour of his wife, the late Florence Mary Smythies ("Jill"), whose career as a botanical artist was cut short by an accident to her right hand.
​Awarded to a botanical artist in recognition of excellence in published illustrations in aid of plant identification, with the emphasis on botanical accuracy and the accurate portrayal of diagnostic characteristics.

The Linnean Society of London is the world’s oldest active biological society.  It aims to promote the study of all aspects of the biological sciences. 

​Founded in 1788 by Sir James Edward Smith (1759–1828), who was its first President. The Society takes its name from the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) whose botanical, zoological and library collections have been in its keeping since 1829.  

Subscribe to this news blog to find out more 
about botanical art and illustration and associated exhibitions
Blog posts are emailed to you when you
Subscribe to Botanical Art & Artists - News by Email

Past blog posts about award winners

• 2020 - Alice Tangerini awarded the 2020 Jill Smythies Award by The Linnean Society
• 2019 - The Linnean Society presents The Jill Smythies Award 2019 to Deborah Lambkin
• 2018 - Niki Simpson and Juliet Williamson win Jill Smythies Award 2018
• 2016 - Anita Barley wins 'Jill Smythies Award'
• 2014 - About Esmée Winkel, botanical illustrator at Naturalis

Previous winners of the Jill Smythies Award

The previous winners of The Jill Smythies Award are a very elite club!
They are:

• Deborah Lambkin (2019)
• Niki Simpson and Juliet Williamson (2018) - see Niki Simpson and Juliet Williamson win Jill Smythies Award 2018
• Karin Douthit and David Williamson (2017)
• Anita Barley (2016) - see Anita Barley wins 'Jill Smythies Award'
• Claire Banks (2015)
• Esmee Somers Winkel (2014) - see About Esmée Winkel, botanical illustrator at Naturalis
• not awarded (2013)
• not awarded (2012)
• Margaret Tebbs (2011)
• Susan Sex (2010)
• Halina Bednarek-Ochyra (2009)
• Patricia Eckel (2008)
• Jan van Os (2007)
• Bobbi Angell (2006) - see Botanical Illustration ​- Books by ​Bobbi Angell
• Lesley Elkan (2005)
• Lucy Theres Smith (2004) - see Second Margaret Flockton Award win for Lucy T. Smith
• Maya Koistinen (2003)
• Jenny Brasier (2002)
• Juan Luis Castillo (2001)
• Bo Mossberg and Jean Annette Paton (2000)
• Pandora Sellars (1999) - See About Pandora Sellars
• Rodella Anne Purves (1998)
• Celia Elizabeth Rosser (1997)
• Bent Jonsen (1996)
• Rosemary Wise (1995)
• Joy Claire Allison Dalby (1994)
• Caroline Mary Bates (1993)
• John Mark Fothergill (1992)
• Dale Edna Evans (1991)
• Gillian Condy (1990)
• Christabel King (1989)
• Ann Farrer (1988)