NEWS about Botanical Art and for Botanical Artists

2017 Botanical Art Tuition: Call for Updates

17/11/2016

This is a Call for Updates on Botanical Art Tuition being provided in 2017.

I'm currently updating my page of Workshops, Classes and Short Courses in the UK with the titles and dates of new courses being offered in 2017. This is a page focused on the education & continuing professional development of aspiring and existing botanical artists and illustrators. (It includes everything that isn't a Diploma and Certificate in Botanical Art Courses - which have a seperate page)

After that I'll be updating the pages:

for PROFESSIONAL level art tuition i.e tuition at any level - beginners intermediate, advanced, masterclass
by PROFESSIONAL botanical artists - who are experienced in teaching botanical art and illustration
provided elsewhere around the world, - in North America, Europe, Australasia, Asia and South America

The definition of "professional" in my book is

this is how you make your living and
you have demonstrable evidence of having delivered regular and successful botanical art courses for a minimum of a year on your own website or the website of a recognised educational institution

However the people who get their information updated first are those who send me the relevant details of their courses and/or the links to more information on their websites! :)

TELL ME about Tuition

You can contact me direct using the contact forms at the bottom of the Education Page for:

NEW Course Update
2017 Tuition Update

Below is an EXAMPLE of one of the new courses in 2017 in the UK - a short course on painting on vellum will be delivered by Sarah Morrish and Shevaun Doherty in Hampshire next September.

Unsurprisingly, given the continuing problems with Fabriano Artistico, there are more and more botanical artists interested in painting on vellum. I may have to start a special section just for vellum courses! (In the meantime - I've got a page all about Vellum)

You can also tell me if:

you are a professional botanical art tutor
you can recommend a course of tuition in botanical art and illustration

See the forms at the bottom of the Tuition Page

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'Heritage Irish Plants – Plandaí Oidhreachta' Exhibition in Dublin

13/11/2016

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The 'Heritage Irish Plants – Plandaí Oidhreachta' Exhibition opened at the Visitor Centre at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin this weekend.

All paintings are by members of the Irish Society of Botanical Artists (ISBA). The paintings in the show feature many well-known plants including Irish snowdrops, dahlias and sweet pea along with primroses, iris and daffodils as well as a number of garden plants selected from the native Irish flora.

The exhibition is a joint project of ISBA and The Irish Garden Plant Society. The aim is to

highlight the rich heritage of Irish Garden Plants and
celebrate the best of Irish botanical illustration.

It was opened at the weekend by Dr Martyn Rix, the botanist, plant collector, author and Editor of Curtis's Botanical Magazine. Dr Rix studied botany at Trinity College, Dublin.

A book of the same name (a joint publication by the ISBA and the Irish Garden Plant Society) featuring the paintings in the exhibition was launched at an event on Saturday 12 November.

Exhibition details

Venue: Visitor Centre at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin
Dates: Sunday 13 November until Sunday 4 December
Hours: open 7 days: Monday to Friday 9 am - 4:30 pm; Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays 10 am - 4:30 pm
Admission: Free

Demonstrations and Talks

demonstrations of painting techniques on the weekends
talks in the Auditorium on Saturday 19 November and Saturday 3 December at 2.00pm.

Botanical Art Exhibitions in Ireland

You can find more details of botanical art exhibitions in Ireland in 2016 and 2017 on this page of this website.

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NEW PAGE: About Georg Dionysius Ehret

13/11/2016

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I've been working on my page About Georg Dionysius Ehret for some time. In fact some of you have found it even though I haven't announced it until today!

It wasn't so much a question as transferring existing content from its previous incarnation to this website so much as improving on the content. In particular, I've been working on the timeline/biography (so it's an easier read) and improving some of the images and the narrative about some of the publications he worked on.

It's certainly the case that I now understand Georg Ehret much better than ever before!

Table XXII in "Plantae selectae quarum imagines ad exemplaria naturalia Londini, in hortis curiosorum nutrita"

In summary:

Georg Ehret is one of the most famous botanical artists of all time. He was probably the leading botanical artist in the middle of the 18th century.
He was born in Heidelberg , Germany in 1708 and died in Chelsea in London in 1770
His first employment was as a gardener. However his interest in drawing plants led him to study and draw as much as he could - around Europe - and subsequently he became a botanical artist.
In 1735, he also visited England for the first time and encountered Phillip Miller and the Chelsea Physic Garden.
He was also a life long friend of Linnaeus having first worked with him in Holland in 1736.
Importantly Ehret helped Linnaeus document the systematic differences between plants. for his publications and created the Linnean style of illustration.

The signboard “Methodus Plantarum Sexualis in sistemate naturae descripta” (Leiden 1736)

Ehret's Table of Plant Characteristics in the Age of Enlightenment Gallery in the British Museum

In 1736, Ehret moved to England because at the time England had lots of great gardens with a wide range of plants which he wanted to draw!
He became much sought after as a botanical artist and documented a number of unusual plants and magnificent specimens. For example, the banner at the top of my Botanical Art and Artists Facebook page contains his drawing of a tuliptree (a magnolia) at Parsons Green in Fulham

Magnolia described as the laurel leaved Tulip Tree by Georg Ehret

The page contains images and links to more information about

Timeline / Biography - details of his life and career development
His drawings, paintings and engravings - a flavour of his artwork
A commentary on his artistic practices and preferred media
Collections - links to where you can see the original artwork in collections - and also online. His work is now in many of the premier art collections - Natural History Museum, Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, the Lindley Library of the Royal Horticultural Society, the Royal Collection and the Hunt Institute of Botanical Documentation.
More information - links to books and websites where you can find out more about him

If anybody's got a useful link that's worth sharing with others I'll be pleased to add it it in to this new page about one of the most famous botanical artists of all time.

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