NEWS about Botanical Art and for Botanical Artists

Exhibition: Crawling with Life: Flower drawings from the Henry Rogers Broughton Bequest

13/3/2016

The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge is home to one of the best UK based collections of botanical art from the past - after Kew, the RHS Lindley Library and the Natural History Museum.

Next week I'm going to be visiting the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge to view the exhibition of "Crawling with Life: Flower drawings from the Henry Rogers Broughton Bequest" which is on until Sunday 8 May 2016 in Gallery 14. Admission is free.

It comprises 17th and 18th century drawings and paintings by well respected and much admired botanical artists from the past.

'Primula auricula with a clouded yellow butterfly (Colias crocus)' by Barbara Regina Dietzsch 1706-1783. Bodycolour and watercolour on prepared black ground within gold border, on vellum

the works selected for this exhibition reveal not only a wide range of creatures and insects living amongst the flowers, but plants, either carnivorous or masters of mimicry, which trap insects for food and as a means of aiding pollination.

The exhibition includes paintings by

Maria Sibylla Merian (1647 - 1717) and her tutor Jacob Marrel (1614-1681
the Dutch artist Jan van Huysum (1682-1749)
the German artists Johann Cristoph Dietzsch, 1710-1769), Barbara Regina Dietzsch (1706-1783) and Margareta Barbara Dietzsch (1726-1795)
Georg Dionysius Ehret (1708-1770) and
the French artist and engraver Nicolas Robert (1614 - 1685)

You can see images from the bequest online if you search the collection online using the query "Henry Rogers Broughton".

This is a review of the exhibition Small works, Plants and Insects by the botanical artist and tutor Dianne Sutherland

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Gloucestershire Society for Botanical Illustration

12/3/2016

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This is the last weekend of the exhibition by the Gloucestershire Society for Botanical Illustration who are currently showing at Nature in Art (2 miles north of Gloucester). It finishes tomorrow.

All members were able to exhibit their own original work so long as artwork was framed in an acceptable way and labelled correctly.

The GSBI is a long established society.

The Society was formed in 1993 by Michael Hickey (teacher, botanist, writer and illustrator) to cater for all in the County interested in botanical illustration, whether as botanists, botanical illustrators, gardeners or those involved in the collection and appreciation of botanical works.

Details of how to join as a member are also available on the website.

Members get a half yearly newsletter containing reviews of events and details of forthcoming exhibitions and courses which may be of interest to members.

It also has a very well developed website and set of activities. Details of events and reviews can be found on the website. These include

visits to gardens and places of botanical and artistic interest and
workshops and lectures by leading botanical illustrators, at very attractive fees. For example there is a Watercolour and Gouache Botanical Art Workshop with Simon Williams at Colesbourne Park at the end of May.

As with all art societies there is also the opportunity to share your own tips and techniques with other members and learn from their experience.

Plus members can also contribute to an online gallery of artwork.

If you'd like your local botanical art society or group to feature on this blog please send me details of your upcoming exhibitions.

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Interviews from the 2016 RHS London Botanical Art Show #1

10/3/2016

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Thirteen Gold Medals were awarded at the 2016 RHS London Botanical Art Show. I had to sit and think for a bit before deciding how to write up my interviews with the twelve botanical artists I spoke to. This is how it's going to work.

The interviews are going to be written up on my main blog Making A Mark as not everybody knows about this one yet!

There are going to be three posts with the artists split by geography.

Mariko Aikawa GM with the two largest of her display of six paintings of Tillandsia. The one on the left was purchased by the RHS for the Lindley Library Collection. Copyright: artwork - Mariko Aikawa photograph - Katherine Tyrrell

#1 covers four artists from Asia - three from Japan and one from Thailand. They are:

Mariko Aikawa (Japan) - Tillandsia - winner of the Best Exhibit Award
Sansanee Deekrajang (Thailand) - Tropical Climate plants
Hiromi Hyogo ( Japan) - Leguminous plants - although I didn't meet this individual
Chiyoko Ohmi (Japan) - Paulownia tomentosa

READ the Interviews with RHS Botanical Art Gold Medallists 2016 - from Asia

The artists are now all featured on this website on my page for leading Botanical Artists from Asia.

Sansanee Deeprajang from Thailand with her Tropical Climate Plants. The interview covers her bounce back from last year's accidental disaster.

#2 covers artists from the UK and Europe:

Sarah Howard (UK) - Horn of Africa Aloes
Roger Reynolds (UK) - The Tip of the Branch

Both are now included in Botanical Artists in the UK

Simonetta Occhipinti (Italy) - The Citrus of the Medici Family.
Lidia Vanzetti (Italy) - Grapes of the Piedmont
Esmee Winkel (Netherlands) - Rare and endangered Orchids

All three are now included in my page about leading Botanical Artists in Europe

Julie Nettleton - Winner of Best Botanical Painting: Xanthorrhoea resinosa Pers., Grass Three with Antechinus Stuartii, Brown Antechinus - and the glass vase which records her win.

The last post covers artists from the southern hemisphere and the USA

Julie Nettleton (Australia) - Xanthorrhoea sp. Grass Trees - Winner of Best Painting
Sandra Sanger (Australia) - Orchids: Paphiopedilum and Australian Natives
Margaret de Villiers (South Africa) - Ericas of the Western Cape Fynbos
Akiko Enokido (USA) - Classicial Camellia Japonica

You can find all of them in related pages for the leading botanical artists in:

I've included tip and techniques from the interviews in a separate post Tips from 2016 RHS Gold Medal Winners - Botanical Art.

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Iceni Botanical Artists - exhibition at Blicking Estate

8/3/2016

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Fresh from their Silver Gilt Medal success at the RHS London Botanical Art Show last month, Iceni Botanical Artists are mounting an exhibition of Flower Paintings at the Blickling Estate in Norfolk which opens tomorrow - Wednesday 9th March.

The exhibition will include a display of paintings of Breckland Wild Flowers which were the subject of their RHS exhibition.

Venue: Blickling Estate, Blickling Aylsham, NR11 6NF. The Blicking Estate is a National Trust property.
Dates: Wednesday 9th March - Sunday 20th March 2016 (10am-5pm)

About Iceni Botanical Artists

Formed:

A group of twenty-three East Anglian artists held an exhibition of plant paintings in August 2010 in Bury St. Edmund, Suffolk.
Iceni Botanical Artists formed in October 2010

Aim:

to encourage and demonstrate a high standard of all forms of botanical art through annual exhibitions by members.

Scope:

scientifically accurate plant portraits
flower paintings

Members: (links in the names are to galleries of botanical art on the Iceni Botanical Artists website)

About Breckland

Find out more about Breckland:

about Breckland - the driest area in the UK
Natural England | NCA Profile: 85. The Brecks (NE385)

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Botanical Art at Bloom in the Park 2016 - call for entries

6/3/2016

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A Call for Entries for Botanical Art at Bloom in the Park 2016 in Dublin, Ireland was published recently. The deadline for entries from botanical and floral artists for this prestigious Irish exhibition is the 31st March 2016.

4th Annual Botanical and Floral Art in Bloom

Below is a summary of information about the exhibition

Venue: Visitor Centre at Phoenix Park, Dublin
Dates: Thursday, 2nd June to Monday, 6th June
Nature of exhibition: Open exhibition with juried entry and medals awarded
Number of artworks: c.40 artworks in total will be exhibited
Two categories: Botanical art and floral art are judged separately.

Call for Entries - information

Here's a summary of the Call for Entries:

Who can enter?

no constraints

What can be entered?

botanical and floral artworks works for sale (20% commission will be deducted from all sales)
acceptable media: watercolour, gouache, ink, acrylic, oil, pencil, fine art prints (e.g. line-engraving (colour), etching, lithograph, wood-cut and other fine art print techniques). Note: Giclée prints are NOT eligible for entry.
framed works only
maximum size: no more than 70 cm. in any measurement including frame
minimum size: no smaller than 25 cm in any measurement including frame.
must not have been exhibited at the Visitor Centre prior to Bloom 2016

In the Botanical Art category, the judging panel will look for three-dimensional drawings of appropriate subject matter where colour, tone and composition result in a pleasing and balanced portrait. Most important are botanical accuracy and the application of technique. Presentation and labelling are also considered.

How many works can be entered?

Three

What does it cost to enter?

a non-refundable submission charge of €10 per painting reduced fee of €25 for three paintings
Fees can be paid by Bank Transfer or Cheque

How to enter

Entry is digital. Good quality images should be submitted as a 300dpi jpeg not less than 20cm and not more than 40cm in any dimension.
Use the application form in this pdf document which also states the full statement of criteria for submitting
Submissions with completed application form, jpeg images and payment should be sent to entries@bloominthepark.com by Thursday 31st March 2016.

More information on the Bloom website here: http://bloominthepark.com/exhibit/#call-for-entries

Has anybody tried using this form?

I'm curious about the entry form. It's not generally possible to enter data into a pdf form - I tried by downloading the form and then tried to complete it. I would normally expect the submission form to be:

completely separate from the conditions of entry document
either an online form as part of a competition entry system
or a separate document and formatted in Word for ease of completion.

Note: I'll be sending a link to this blog post to the entries email address.

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Congratulations to the new members of the SBA (2016)

1/3/2016

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Yesterday the new full and associate members of the Society of Botanical Artists (SBA) were announced. You can find the names below along with links to their websites or their pages on the websites of the SBA website or a Florilegium Society.

Congratulations to all those who worked hard and applied themselves to achieving the high standards required of its members by the Society.

I guess most of those with a website now need to turn their attention to updating their bio pages!

This is the top part of the very attractive Certificate awarded to new full members of the SBA

NEW Full Members

The new full members entitled to put SBA after their names in future are

Karen L Bailey
Jarnie Godwin
Nina Marks
Polly O’Leary
Julia Patience
Pamela Taylor - see the trees she exhibited in the 2015 exhibition below
Vivienne Taylor
Julia Trickey - Julia has won four RHS Gold Medals to date. Her work is also
her work is held in the RHS Lindley Library and the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, USA.
Christiana Webb
Julie Whelan

Pen and ink drawings by Pamela Taylor BSc, PhD, Assoc SBA exhibited at the Society of Botanical Artists' Annual Exhibition 2015 (top left) Taxus baccata - The Ankerwyke Yew (Highly Commended) (top right) Faxinius excelsior - Common Ash (bottom left) Tilea x europeae Common Lime with Viscum album - Mistletoe (bottom right) Carduus nutans - Musk Thistle

Nature in Waiting - RHS Gold Medal 2013 by Julia Trickey GM, Assoc SBA

NEW Associate Members

The new Associate Members are listed below. They can now put Assoc.SBA after their name.

Carmen Lyons
Sandra Summers
Noreen Taylor
Eileen Thomas
Pauleen Trim
Ros Franklin - Ros is also a Fellow of the Eden Project Florilegium Society and was appointed its Chair in 2102.

Ros Franklin was awarded an RHS Gold Medal (May 2015) for her first solo exhibition “Arisaemas for the Sheltered Garden or Greenhouse”. The RHS Lindley Library has purchased one of the paintings Arisaema speciosum var. mirabile for their collection.
Eden Project Florilegium website

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