Summer 2016 Scattered Seeds - soc-botanical- · PDF filecoming up with new labelling to...

Scattered Seeds

Rhododendron - Diane Marshall DipSBA, (DLDC Course 11)(work started on Plas Tan y Bwlch residential course)

Broadcasting ideas and information from

Summer 2016

2 THE SOCIETY OF BOTANICAL ARTISTS SUMMER 2016 NEWSLETTER

President’s Piece

T he lead up to the exhibition came like a whirlwind and gathered momentum right up to and beyond the AGM this year. Those of you who

attended the AGM heard that team council was beset with problems throughout the organisation of the whole event and without the presence of our secretary to add her unique and valued contribution we were certainly put to the test. However, armed with Pam’s tried and tested recipe and the addition of a few spicy ingredients of our own we presented an exhibition full of flavour and variety.

Thanks go to my two Vice Presidents, Gael for project managing the day to day running of the event and Susan for working tirelessly on the awards and coming up with new labelling to highlight the work of the award winners. Thanks also to a brilliant team Council who willingly put in extra time to cover all eventualities and not forgetting those Friends and partners who stepped up to the plate to add their support this year.

The relocation of the shop proved worthwhile although we will increase the footage next year. There were fewer print sales, but books and cards went well and the success of the SBA merchandise was great this year with the lovely cotton tote that almost flew out of the shop. We actually took orders, and are getting a reprint, another learning curve perhaps when we try selling from the website.

Next we have our Palmengarten exhibition to look forward to. The title 'In Pursuit of Plants' is likely to produce a predominantly botanical exhibition and we rely heavily on your vigilance in selecting your work. Although we don’t select the work, Palmengarten can still decide to exclude work that doesn't meet expectations. This may also apply to not following instructions on hanging and framing, so please read and follow these carefully.

At the AGM I announced the possibility of an exhibition in Madrid in May 2018; we await further news about this and will keep you posted. Next year you will have the summertime to produce work, because we are obliged to move the date of our annual open exhibition to October 2017. A complete sea change, but it could be quite exciting to explore a new audience. We aim to begin the planning and organisation as early as possible to avoid any last minute panic and I hope that this will mean more of you coming forward to offer up help at different times of the year. The reduction of steward availability and the possible loss of storage at CHW mean that other adjustments and savings are also under discussion.

To facilitate a smoother operation, we will increase the categories submitted digitally. It makes for a faster Hand-in and Selection and of course cuts our costs. Like any charity our Society continues to face fresh challenges of this sort and we will of course keep you informed. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any suggestions to make or offers of help.

I hope you are all getting the chance to produce some work and enjoying the intermittent summer. I hope too, that like me if you enjoy gardening that you are welcoming an abundance of bees into your garden. Without pollinators we wouldn’t have flowers.

Sandra Wall Armitage

SUMMER 2016 NEWSLETTER THE SOCIETY OF BOTANICAL ARTISTS 3

Council 2016

Over the last few years, there has been a gradual expansion of the ‘support’ team approach. It is obviously wise management to make sure someone knows what needs to be done and how it has been made to work in the past. So ‘assistants’ have been recruited and particular expertise sought out among members.

These recruits have not necessarily been required to become Council members (many people can make very valuable contributions while being unable to commit to meetings a long way from home) - particularly in these days of electronic communication. So Council have sought to broaden the ‘volunteer’ base within the Society. This means that there are a number of people who deserve thanks from the membership besides those whose photos are shown above - such as Anne Lawton who acts as

Membership Secretary, and Claire Ward who maintains the website and is one of the Facebook team with Shevaun Doherty. The best way you can show your gratitude is by joining their number!

• Are you at ease demonstrating before an audience?• Are you happy to help lead a group during

Exhibitions or study days?• Do you have good computer skills?• Any sort of publishing background?• Advertising know-how?

We need all the skills of any modern business in order to keep the Society secure for the future.

If you feel you could offer any such help please let a Council member know. You will be very welcome.

President and Managing Director of BEL


Vice President (Awards)

Susan Christopher-Coulson

Honorary SecretaryBrenda Green

Newsletter EditorPenny Stenning

Council MemberBilly Showell

Council MemberDianne Sutherland

DLDC DirectorSimon Williams

Executive SecretaryPam Henderson

One-year Co-optedE-mail distributions

Penny Gould

Facebook Editor, Director of BEL and Shop Manager

Amber Halsall

Vice President (Strategic planning)

Gael Sellwood

Changes in organising the SBA

With very great regret we report the resignation of Janet Pope from council due to ill health. She remains an enthusiastic member of the SBA


From the Editor

L ike quite a lot of our members, I also belong to a group recording the plants in a famously historical botanical garden. We persuade botanical/gardening luminaries to judge our submissions before accepting them into the Archive.

For my last offering, I was dismayed to be given a specimen evidently suffering from some sort of virus attack, and later another specimen of the same plant suffering serious insect damage. Breathing rather deeply, and feeling hard done by, I worked away.

Are we brainwashed by a frequent insistence on perfect specimens? Certainly the RHS make no bones about their main object which is the 'perfect' plant. Has this had an understandable influence over our own selection of specimens even when we do not seek a medal? As I continued to work I became fascinated by the curious lack of logic in the shapes of leaves and charmed by the colouration induced by insect damage. I duly handed in my work, half expecting rejection.

Imagine my delight to receive some really kind remarks from the judges (a largely Kew-based group) regarding the realism of the work – which they then accepted into the Archive!

So, as botanical artists, what is our truth – perfection of specimen or accuracy of observation? Should we edit the half-eaten flower head, the shrivelled leaf or the nibbled fruit?

We have probably all adjusted the curve of a stem or the twist of a leaf for better flow and construction but, at what point does artistic license become outright invention?

Does it matter? Or should we simply take the commercial view and paint to the taste of our target audience? I would really like to hear your views.

On a completely different subject, this Society has a rich collection of Pennys (or should that be Pennies?), all of whom have sailed happily through life in lonely splendour. Only now are we experiencing the complications of community. Penny Gould in particular acting as mail circulator is frequently receiving (and faithfully passing on) messages intended for another Penny. Indeed, I understand for all and sundry. I hear she has considered changing her name to 'Ermintrude', but supposes (rather dismally) that there will be an immediate rush of Ermintrudes joining the Society.

Could I appeal to you all to check the addressee when replying to or about circulars. Not only will your communication reach its destination faster, but you will save Penny G. a lot of unnecessary effort!

Happy Holidays! Penny

In this Issue5 Your Letters

5 On the Grape Vine

6 Book News

7 Short Reports

9 Exhibition Dates 2017

11 RHS London Botanical Art Show

12 SBA London Spring Exhibition

14 Writing a book

16 Joy Adamson’s Botanical Paintings

17 2016 Awards

17 DLDC and Student News

20 Christmas Gathering

Penny [email protected]


Your Letters

From Anne Rabbits (one of our Friends)Thank you for the newsletter, it was really informative especially the very helpful pointers re photographing work. I have always found this to be a very difficult thing to do – my photos always have a grey background and look terrible so this has been most helpful.

Thanks to Dianne Sutherland for the article referred to here! Ed From Loren Dixon (DLDC student) “…the UKCPS would like to exhibit one of my illustrations. I immediately thought of one of my assignment pieces …… would I need permission to use this for the purpose? I do not know what the procedure is with the SBA”.

I have had some correspondence with the DLDC Director about this. There is a difference between your own independent work and tutorial comment/contribution (sometimes a hazy area). You may not publish or exhibit any tutorial remarks or any supporting material from the course books or folders. Your own personal work is your own copyright although a note that the work was completed for the SBA Distance Learning Diploma Course would be a courteous nod to your tutors. Perhaps I should also add that: One piece of coursework can be submitted to our exhibition if by a graduate with distinction and they are on the fast track application. Otherwise, course work is not acceptable for entry to our own exhibition.

I have answered in some length, because tutorial comment is classified as privileged information, and course work information or instructions are actually covered by copyright law. There have been some unfortunate lapses in the past. At its simplest, spoken comment among friends is permitted, publication in any form is not.

Loren also exhibited with Leigh Ann Gale and her students at Horsham during January. Congratulations Loren!

Ed.

From Hazel Rush (Member) The last time I attended the Three Counties Show Ground at Malvern was some years ago and I was showing dogs. It seemed very different to be taking botanical paintings to display at the RHS Spring Fair.

There were only six exhibitors which was a little disappointing but actually meant we were able to get to know each other quite well. We helped each other over the four days when we could. My husband was a huge support and once the judging was over it was not really necessary to stay with your work unless you were selling.

Once the show opened one of the twelve judges came and talked to each of us to explain the marks and give us their comments. There were no Gold Medals awarded, two Silver Gilt and four silver medals. The comments were interesting and fairly constructive for those wishing to have another go next year

I was very pleased to receive a Silver Medal for my studies of the Opium Poppy. If I can be of any help to any member who is about to embark on this journey, I would be more than pleased to help.

My e-mail address is: [email protected]

On the Grape VineWe have heard that Brenda Green had two pieces accepted for the UKCPS Exhibition at the Menier Gallery in Southwark.

Jane Goodson wona Silver Gilt Medal at RHS Malvern.

Patricia Regnart will be opening her barn for Somerset Artworks (an open studio venture) from 17 September to 2 October. They are expecting 211 artists to join in.

Congratulations to you all! Ed.

Opium Poppy by Hazel Rush


Book News

H ere is a new book which is coming out in the Autumn, to coincide with the Frankfurt book fair and our own Exhibition. I have been lucky enough to be selected for inclusion.It is called Eine Blumenmalerin sollt’ich sein,

this roughly translates to “I should be a flower painter”. It contains Portraits of 11 botanical artists, ranging from the middle ages to the present. Painters include Marianne North, Maria Sibylla Merian, Georgia O’Keefe, Clara Peeters and other recognisable names.

It is a hardback written in German which is illustrated in colour but I don’t know whether or not it will be translated into English. It has 136 pages. ISBN 978-3-7995-1088-2

The author is Stephanie Hauschild who is an Art Historian and she has paid several visits to my atelier over the last couple of years, taking notes and photos.

I am not sure exactly which photos she has used of my work, but I know she was interested in two Hyacinthus pictures I had done in coloured pencil. She also took a lot of photos of other work telling me to wait for a surprise!”

I never thought I would be taken so seriously here, the attitude in Germany really is changing. I can remember when people here thought botanical painting was very 'sweet' but not of any contemporary importance.

Sue HénonSBA

Sandra Wall Armitage adds: “This is wonderful news about the publication of a book on botanical art in German. We are delighted that it includes the work of member Sue Hénon who has not only worked tirelessly to raise the profile of the SBA in Frankfurt through the exhibitions at Palmengarten but has also been a champion for botanical art in general in Germany. I believe that Sue planted the seed for an SBA exhibition over there and has been involved ever since. We couldn’t manage without her input, particularly throughout the exhibition when she gives up her time to work on our behalf.”

Sue Vise has spent the last 24 months writing, illustrating and nursing the printing of her book Botanical Drawing using Graphite and Coloured Pencils.

The book contains ten chapters, each dedicated to a particular aspect of the plant, beginning with roots and bulbs, working up through stems, leaves, flowers, fruit etc.

Botanical Drawing - part of the Master class series is due for release on 20 June, by Crowood Press Ltd for £18.99. ISB 978-1-78500-159-8See Pages 14-15 for Penny Brown’s article “Writing a book”

Coincidentally, also designed to be available at the Frankfurt book fair, Botanical Illustration featuring some twenty of our SBA members has been translated into German as:Die Kunst der botanischen Illustration

If you want a copy of it in English, I am sure any of our members who are also members of the Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium will be happy to help you!


Short Reports

Perennial Knawel byReinhild RaistricK SBA

From the left: Sandra, Enzo,

Imelda and Billy

raised to extraordinarily high levels, as with the SBA exhibitions. RHS shows are not a competition setting one artist’s entry against another; however the visual impact of large, brilliantly coloured paintings were literally a world away from IBA’s Wild Flower display. However, I was happy that the simplicity of form and freshness of colours stood up well and there were wonderful comments from the public.

The whole Collection is to be seen in a touring exhibition in locations in Norfolk and Suffolk through 2016/17. They have already been seen at Clare Hall in Cambridge, Blickling Hall in Norfolk, Norwich Cathedral Library, and still to come are Beckett’s Gallery in Wymondham (September), West Acre Theatre (October) and The Apex in Bury St. Edmunds (April 2017). A catalogue is in the process of being produced. All this has been made possible by generous support from The Finnis Scott Foundation, The Breckland Society, The John Jarrold Trust, and Mr Bernard Tickner of Fuller’s Mill Garden.

Isobel Bartholomew(Chairman of the Iceni Group)

Flower Power A very successful evening occurred on 5 May at The Strand Gallery in London for the opening of 'Flower Power', a Greenfingers charity exhibition. Almost 100 floral artworks were set to go on sale to raise money to create inspiring gardens and green areas for children’s hospices around the country. Some of the Society’s artists were exhibiting their stunning works: Sandra Wall Armitage, Billy Showell, Angeline de Meester and me, Enzo Forgione.

Greenfingers’ brilliant Patrons Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton hosted the evening and ensured it was a joyful and successful event. Everybody enjoyed the festive atmosphere and Imelda Staunton was kind enough to have some photos taken with the SBA’s members attending the Opening. Billy was awarded one of the people’s choice prizes. Many artworks

Breckland Wild Flowers at the RHSIceni Botanical Artists were delighted to be awarded a Silver-Gilt Medal at the February RHS Botanical Art Show in London.

Over a three-year period, they have been painting the Wild Flowers of Breckland, which covers much of northern Suffolk and south-west Norfolk. They have concentrated their attention on recording the plants of the Heaths and Grasslands, which for the most part are very small being adapted to arid conditions. Many of the plants painted are only found in Breckland and several are rare and endangered such as Spiked Speedwell, Breckland Thyme, Annual Knawel and Spanish Catchfly which help to make the Brecks landscape so unique.

It was a difficult decision in choosing those pieces which most suitably represented the Collection and Breckland itself, and in the end the allowed amount of space at the RHS and the rare nature of the most endangered plants were the governing factors. Overall, 22 paintings were hung by six different artists.

On looking round the Show it was clear that every year standards keep being

were sold the same evening and during the exhibition; now the sales continue on-line hosted on Etsy. Let’s hope they keep selling well in order to fulfil the aim to raise £1 million in three years!

Enzo Forgione SBA


Artists’ Open House and Garden

I expect a number of SBA members take part in Open Studio days or, in my case Artists’ Open House, which is organised by the Dulwich Festival in South

London each year, as part of a wide range of events. One hundred and fifty artists take part over two weekends in May, a powerful piece of organisation! The handsome catalogue contains an illustration of each artist’s work, covering everything from fine art, illustration and printmaking, to ceramics, sculpture, textiles, jewellery and photography.

Tulips were my accidental theme of the day. The ones in the garden were in full bloom – black parrots, yellow ‘West Point’, white, and dark mahogany-red ones. We have opened the garden for the National Gardens Scheme for over 20 years and had our main day in April. However, I decided that it might attract more people to the Open House weekend if the garden was on offer as an optional extra, again in aid of the NGS; it worked, and we raised £400 at £3 per person, children free, no teas or plant sale – I couldn’t face making a dozen cakes again after doing so in April as well as getting a 'gallery’ ready.

Several of the paintings I sold were of tulips, as it happened. Don’t we all know the frisson of anticipation when we see someone scrutinising a picture, looking at the price list, walking away and back to it again? Will they, won’t they? A couple of years ago, among some plain purple tulips that I had planted, there appeared a beautifully flamed one, exactly like the tulips that caused the seventeenth century Dutch tulip mania. Of course, we now know the flames are caused by a virus. Diseased it might have been but I painted it (if only all plant diseases were as lovely!) and two men spent a long time looking at this picture, heads together in sotto voce discussion, and eventually went into the garden for a long time and then went

away. Oh well, I thought, never mind. But a few days later one of them emailed me to say he wanted to buy it for his partner who is a garden designer and present day tulip aficionado.

I had a long conversation with a botanically knowledgeable woman in front of the painting of Tulipa sprengeri. I love this species tulip, a native of Turkey where it is now extinct. It’s the latest to flower, in mid-May, is tall and has gorgeous orangey-red inner petals and greeny-gold outer ones. Five years ago I bought one bulb in a pot at Great Dixter for the price of £5. Why so expensive? Because the bulbs bury themselves ever more deeply into the ground and are very difficult to extricate in a size for selling commercially. But, reward comes to those who wait… I planted the bulb in a semi-shady place, as instructed, and one flower appeared. I left it to develop into a dry seed-head, which split and shed masses of seeds. In five years, which time it takes to flower, T. Sprengeri has sown itself widely and it now appears in drifts. If anyone reading this would like some seeds, there will be plenty to spare in early autumn. So, the woman who talked about the painting was able to see lots of them in flower too. The tulip is named after the German botanist, nurseryman and collector of seeds in the wild, Carl Ludwig Sprenger (1846-1917).

Rosemary Lindsay SBA


Study Visit to the British Museum

One of the study groups enjoying

a well-earned cup of tea

T hose of us who went on the British Museum study days that Janet Pope kindly organised in April had a most interesting time. We were able to study in

detail paintings by artists such as Alexander Marshall and Georg Ehret. There were also several of Mrs Delany’s exquisite flower collages. A book of sketches by John White, who was the artist on Raleigh’s expedition to North Carolina in 1585, made us realise how drawing as quickly and accurately as possible was the only way to record and show people back home what they saw.

Unfortunately, we ran out of time looking at a portfolio of Maria Sybilla Merian’s studies of butterflies, caterpillars and the plants on which they fed. Working three hundred years ago she was the artist/scientist who first realised that during metamorphosis caterpillars turned into butterflies. Fascinated by the exotic insects explorers brought back from their travels, in 1699 she went with her daughter to Suriname (just north of Brazil) to paint the insects and plants on which they fed.

Until 9 October there is an exhibition of Merian’s work at The Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace. The exhibition features an original copy of her book Metamorphosis of the Insects of Suriname, with the prints hand coloured

by her or her daughters. Also on display are paintings/hand coloured prints of subjects taken from the book which she made on vellum for clients in order to finance her work. The intensity of colour and clarity of the images in these works on vellum is outstanding even after 300 years. The exhibition makes it possible to compare painting on paper (mostly in her books) with that on vellum, because it is reasonable to assume that she would have used the same paints for both.

As an artist Merian recognised the problem of trying to capture the intensity of colour of her subjects accurately and also the iridescence of butterfly wings. Sometimes she tried to capture this by over painting with gold or silver, but admitted that her attempts were poor compared to the real butterfly colours.

Pamela Taylor SBA

Exhibition Dates – 2017

At the AGM members were advised of the unexpected and seasonal switch to our next year’s exhibition.Due to factors outside of our control, the exhibition in 2017 will now run in October.Please put the dates in your diary now to keep yourself free to help. Pre-Christmas may suit us well, with buyers looking for gifts!

Hand-in Yet to be decidedSelection Yet to be decidedHanging starts 8 OctoberPrivate view 12 OctoberExhibition end 21 OctoberTake-down 22 October (Sunday)Hand-in and AGM 23 and 24 October


Exhibition in Funchal, Madeira

The week before the opening there was a lot of running back and

forth, arranging invitations, giving a tv interview to the Maderia RTP

channel, for the programme “Cultura das Artes” (see above) and lots

of last minute details.

FrangipaniOne of the 15 paintings Angie exhibited, several of

which she had to borrow back from buyers

I n the summer newsletter of 2015 I wrote a report for the “Grape Vine” about being auctioned to give a day of Botanical painting tuition as fundraising for the

English Church in Funchal.At the same time, I was taken with two

samples of my work to the Electricity Museum in Funchal, also known as Casa da Luz (The House of Light). They really liked my work (phew!) and I was booked into their gallery for April 2016 which would coincide with the annual Maderian Flower Festival, which is a hugely popular tourist attraction. I was also asked would I mind exhibiting with others; not at all, it makes an exhibition with about 40

paintings more interesting.Later in the year, I was introduced to

Elisabete Henriques, a local botanical artist who would also be exhibiting with me; we got on very well together, which was a relief. It was decided that a posthumous tribute was also to be part of the exhibition, for Helena Encarnaçao, who sadly died very young; she illustrated beautiful works of the natural world, which were being shown for the very first time.

Two days before the opening we had to go in and help hang our work and were given two hours to do a large drawing in chalk on a wall approximately 230cm x 140cm. We had been given prior notice so there was time to plan something. Quite daunting …but great fun!

On opening night, I was very nervous, but it was such an exciting evening and the feedback was that people really enjoyed the event.

About 150 people turned up, including a representative of the Madeiran government, the English Consul-Ambassador and the Director of the Natural History Museum.

We all had to say something into the microphone: my speech was basically saying many thanks to everyone, how Madeira is a botanical artist’s paradise and that I would like to see more promotion of the island in this context. We had a fabulous evening.

Angie Gray SBA


The RHS London Botanical Art Show

(Right)

Our demonstrators

(a seasoned group of

heroes) showed their

skills. Susan Christopher-

Coulson with part of her

amazing collection of

coloured pencils

We were delighted to be invited again to have a presence at the spring show and complement the exhibition of

botanical paintings at this prestigious event. This year we were given a place on the stage, which sometimes became a little 'cosy’, but gave us a commanding view of events!

MEDAL WINNERSWe had the added excitement of seeing several of our members and students winning medals!

Roger Reynolds SBA Gold

Norma Greggory SBA Silver GiltMayumi Hashi SBA Silver Gilt

Sarah Morrish AssocSBA SilverVérène Kutter DipSBA SilverSoyoung Sin DipSBA Silver

Congratulations to them all!

Please note the RHS requests that the year you won your medal should be included when you mention your awards.

(Right) President Sandra Wall Armitage,

Vice President Gael Sellwood, DLDC Director

Simon Williams and Tutors Guy Eves and Susan

Hillier all stood by to answer difficult questions…

from the many visitors - who crowded around

Above - Roger Reynolds who won a well-deserved Gold


SBA Spring Exhibition in London 2016

(Right) As usual the

efficiency of our

Executive Secretary

(Pam) greeted all

comers. And as always,

we were most grateful

for family members

adding to the

volunteer numbers

(Left) On selection-day, we

ask our volunteers to wear

dark coloured clothes, to

reduce distraction from the

colours in the artwork

At this point the paintings go into storage – and Sandra retreats into a dark cave somewhere with ice packs and a large supply of coffee to work out a screen and a hanging plan. A few days before the Exhibition is due to open, the pace hots up again!

(Left) Here the

volunteers line

up to take

paintings out

of storage, and

deliver to the

correct screen

(Right) Here volunteers hold up one artist’s accepted work for a quick

snap. This is to help the exhibition designer (our President) by

reminding her of which paintings complement each other or fit into

which part of a theme. These snaps are deliberately not for

reproduction; we do consider the rights of our artists, and permission

was sought to publish this snap

We had a really good show this year. Starting with the excitement of hand-in and selection, our staunch teams of volunteers got off the blocks with a will. Hand-in went smoothly...

Due to the use of digital entry for some categories there did not seem to be quite such a crush as usual, so we were able to proceed at a slightly more measured pace.

The ‘heavy’ team get to work

(Left) The shop begins to fill up –

are there enough tables?

How will the new lay-out work?

(Left) Sometimes screen placement

can be misunderstood or light

fittings turn up unexpectedly, so a

quick re-think is needed


SBA Spring Exhibition in London 2016

1. Did Jackie bring enough flowers? Of course she did!

2. Brenda and Rachel have a fit

of the giggles trying to fold a cloth in the approved Central Hall manner.

3. So what piece goes where?

4. It’s a three-man job!

5. Completed !

6. The flowers look lovely!

7. The Shop is very inviting!

8. The volunteers take a well-deserved break

9. Finished and ready for our visitors.

The fun goes on…..

For a list of award winners see page 17

1

53

2

4

6 7 8

9


Writing a book

subject matter as possible from flowers, fruit and vegetables through to seed heads, grasses and lichens, seaweed, bark and driftwood, fungi and decayed matter. I like to draw odd and different things and was keen to share that. Last summer I stupidly put some Phalaenopsis orchids outside while we went away. The slugs had a field day eating the leaves down to the veins. I dried some of them and have drawn their strange twisted lacy remains. After eating one of those flat 'doughnut' peaches, I noticed the stone - tiny but an interesting shape full of fissures and crevasses. I cut a Brussels Sprout in half and drew it much enlarged. The amount of detail was mesmerising, with weird brain-like shapes serpenting through it.

I have found that a certain flexibility is needed when working on the step-by-step diagrams. Too often I start an easy project and as I progress with the drawing, I realise that I will have to upgrade it to medium to have any hope of describing it clearly. The first project I drew was of freesias – a sculptural arrangement of two flowering sprays surrounding some buds. This had to be upgraded to medium and the easy project to take its place became a pear cut in half.

A ccepting a commission to write a book on botanical drawing for Search Press was a daunting prospect. I have illustrated over a

hundred books, but have never written more than an introduction before and have never been responsible for deciding all the contents of a book. I started to make lists and immediately felt better.

The editor sent me a page layout. This is a simple print out of all the double page spreads in the book, scaled down so that the whole book fits on two A3 sheets. I planned on this, jotting down what was to be on each spread, watching the book slowly take shape. The layout is in front of me now and, after nearly a year of working on the book, it is covered in different coloured inks, scribbled out sections, arrows, sticky labels and post it notes. A messy mystery but invaluable to me.

The book 'Botanical Drawing' is in a series called Drawing Masterclass and therefore has a given structure. The first third of the book includes introductory pages about materials, composition, botany, pencil techniques, getting started, working from life and in the field. The remaining two thirds is filled with the step-by-step projects, graded from simple through to medium and finally complex.

Choosing the subjects for the projects was one of the most interesting tasks. I wanted to display as broad a range of

Those of you who were able to visit our Spring Exhibition this year will have had opportunities to buy copies of the new books out by Billy Showell and Simon Williams. If you were not able to go, or missed out somehow, I am sure the authors will be happy to make another sale!


Writing a book

I have tried to depict a variety of styles of compositions and arrangements too. From the simple cut pear in the centre of the page to a still life of overlapping pea pods with a single pea escaping and rolling into the corner of the page. From a classic botanical illustration with dissections to a vastly enlarged plume of Sweet Vernal Grass, its leaves exploding out of the frame, or a poppy seed head with the seeds scattered over the page in a frozen moment. I collected seaweed strands for a seaside library page and spent ages identifying the different species - they included some carragheen covered in a white tessellated growth which I discovered was a colony of Electra pilosa or Seamat. I am learning such a lot! I stored the samples in a shoebox but left them too long. They have decayed past saving and soon I will have to go back to the beach and collect some more.

As more of the projects are finished, the choices for the remaining ones become more difficult. I have one remaining medium vegetable project to decide on and trying to balance it with all the finished projects to maintain variety of subject and approach is proving quite tricky. I think I will wait for the autumn squash with all their lumpy textures and shadows.

My main aim with this book is to try to give readers the confidence and enthusiasm to tackle their own projects. And to show what a broad subject botanical drawing is and just how satisfying and enjoyable it can be. The publication date is autumn 2017, so not too long to wait to see if I’ve succeeded.

Penny Brown SBA

Changes to annual subscriptionsMembers are reminded that subscription rates will change in January 2017.

The rates will rise to £175.00 for full members and £150 for Associates. Potential changes were referenced at the AGM in 2015 and confirmed at the 2016 AGM.

Still value for money, and less than the price of one cup of coffee per member per week !

The easiest way to pay is by online bank payment to the following account:Account Name: Society of Botanical ArtistsAccount Number: 026 129 30Sort Code: 30-99-98 Please make sure you include your name in the Reference box so that we know who the payment is from.

Alternatively, you may send a cheque made payable to: The Society of Botanical Artists Limited to the address below:

Anne Lawton, Membership Secretary SBADownsview, Bessels Lea, Blewbury, OxfordshireOX11 9NW, UK

If you are not resident in the UK, and are paying by Paypal, please send me an email to let me know you have done so. Email: [email protected] Please note that we no longer send out Membership cards, nor do we send acknowledgments of payment or receipts unless you send us a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Finally, a big thank you to all those who always pay promptly - it’s much appreciated!


Joy Adamson’s Botanical Paintings

Erythrina

Joy Adamson is famed for her passion for wildlife and conservation, but she was also a remarkable botanical painter.

In 1937, en route from her native Austria to Kenya, she met and fell in love with Peter Bally, a Swiss botanist, specialising in succulents, working on the botanical collections at the Nairobi Museum. He became her second husband and called her 'Joy' (she was christened Friederike Victoria).

As a girl in Vienna she had studied drawing and painting, and now she learned from him how to illustrate the plants they found on field trips, many of which had not previously been documented. She also met Dr Jex-Blak, editor of Gardening in East Africa and of books on East African Flora, and his wife Lady Muriel, co-founder of the Kenyan Horticultural Society, who invited her to paint for these publications.

She travelled widely around east Africa and describes in her autobiography some of the problems she encountered in setting up camp, as she would need a cook, a gun-bearer to keep an eye out for buffalo or elephants, porters to supply the weekly mail and food (including for her dog). She documented the flora of every climate and habitat in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, coping with innumerable physical hardships and risks, from difficult terrain, inaccessible sites and wild animals to poisonous plants (like the giant Lobelia which had caused painful reactions for her husband as well as herself and the porter who had helped her transport the 9ft plant to camp for her to paint). Whilst climbing Mount Kilimanjaro she spent time botanising whilst acclimatising herself to the altitude, and describes the giant lobelias and senecios.

Elsewhere she delighted in the bright red gladioli and red-hot pokers, deep-blue and turquoise delphiniums, and noted that the colour of some flowers was much brighter when they grew at higher altitudes. Her writing gives very little botanical information about the plants she painted, but her paintings show her attention to every detail.

She was a prolific painter and in one chapter describes how in four months on the high slopes of Mount Kenya, with a

hot-water bottle on her knees and her little dog warming her feet, she produced 70 paintings. Her illustrations were on tablemats presented to the Queen and Prince Philip and 20 of her paintings were given to General Smuts, himself a keen botanist.

In 1947 her work was shown at the Royal Horticultural Society and she was awarded a Grenfell Gold Medal. In the citation the judges comment that “she combined artistic layout with scientific accuracy not seen since the days of the great Dutch herbalists”. She was even offered a job as illustrator at Kew but turned it down to return to her beloved Kenya.

In all she left about 700 paintings, and over 50 of her paintings of the flora of east Africa were on show at Pashley Manor in March this year. All the proceeds from the exhibition, which also had some of her wildlife paintings and tribal portraits, prints and artefacts on sale, supported the work of the Elsa Conservation Trust, which continues Joy Adamson’s lifelong commitment to wildlife conservation.

Sue J Williams SBA


Awards at the annual exhibition 2016 “Shape Pattern Structure”

The President’s Award Marion Perkins SBAFor work in other media The Joyce Cuming Presentation Award Janet Pope SBA

For the body of work Highly CommendedMarta Chirino SBAGuy William Eves SBAMargaret Fitzpatrick SBAEun Young SongChristiana Webb SBADawn Wright The Margaret Granger Memorial Silver BowlJulie Whelan SBA For the body of work Great Art Award Enzo Forgione SBA For an outstanding body of work

Derwent AwardEun Young SongFor work in a pencil medium

St Cuthbert’s Mill AwardSarah Wood SBAFor the body of work Strathmore Papers BursaryCheryl Wren SBAFor Composition

Honourable mentions in alphabetical order:Susan Christopher-Coulson VPSBAYvonne Collard SBARita FeatherstoneMargaret Fitzpatrick SBAGillian French SBACherryl FountainSharon FoxLiz ShippamBilly Showell SBASue Wickison SBA

Suzanne Lucas Memorial AwardMargaret Stevens FSBAFor outstanding service to the Society.

Certificates of Botanical Merit in alphabetical order Margaret Fitzpatrick SBAElizabeth C Helman AssocSBAPolly O’Leary SBASally Jane Perrin SBABeth Phillip SBABilly Showell SBAEun Young SongRichard Tratt SBAHeidi Venamore DipSBA(Dist)Christiana Webb SBA(Works selected by an independent judge

for their botanical accuracy).

The People’s Choice Billy Showell SBA

Voted for by the visitors to the exhibition

The first of the two courses in North Wales was held in May this year and was tutored by Billy Showell and Simon Williams. The course was fully booked with 21

attendees; some from previously graduated Course 11, Course 12 and Course 13 plus some non SBA/DLDC people had places on the course. Plenty of practical advice and demonstrations were given and it was a great opportunity to paint, relax and mix with creativity. Working in a group always brings out an element of encouragement and inspiration not only from the tutors but fellow painters. The Wednesday afternoon trip out to Treborth Botanic Gardens was especially good this year. A new Director has now taken over the running of Treborth, Shaun Russell, and he spent the whole afternoon giving the group a guided tour around the gardens showing new additions and talking about future developments. The second course this year, in September 2016,

DLDC Plas Tan y Bwlch Residential Courses

will be tutored by Robert McNeill and Simon Williams with an afternoon visit to Plas Newydd House and Gardens. The house, while set in beautiful gardens to walk around, has an art collection and holds many splendid paintings including Rex Whistler’s famous mural.


Distance Learning Diploma Course

Dates are confirmed for two residential courses next year: 7 – 12 May 2017 and 17 – 22 September 2017. Tutors are to be confirmed and more

information will be available in due course through the SBA website: www.soc-botanical-artists.org and Plas Tan y Bwlch website: www.eryri-npa.gov.uk/study-centre

Course News:Course 11 drew to a successful conclusion with the Graduation being held at the Art Workers Guild on the 15 April 2016. For many years the SBA has used this venue for the Graduation and Christmas lunch as the general atmosphere and vibes help give a very relaxed and comfortable feel to our events.

A total of 37 students completed the course with six Distinctions, 12 Credits, 13 Higher Passes and six Passes being achieved with no fails. All students deserve the warmest congratulations as I and all the tutors recognize that it is a big achievement to have a result from over two years of real effort and dedication.

Course 12 Students are over half way through the course now and making good progress with assignments and it will not be long before Diploma planning takes place. Don’t forget to be thinking ahead for subject choices and planning now.

Many of you will be aware that Fabriano are having serious problems with their watercolour paper, Artistico and Classico 5. The paper that all students are provided with for the course is not set as

a requirement to work on. With the current issues being experienced with the paper and it not performing as well as it should, you may like to consider working on alternatives. St Cuthberts Mill have produced two equivalent papers and SBA member Dianne Sutherland has written an interesting and informative blog article on this: visit http://diannesutherland.blogspot.co.uk for further reading.

If you are experiencing problems with the paper for your assignments and Diploma work, do use another. It does go without saying though, do not pick a Rough, Not or even Cold pressed alternative as these finishes are likely to affect the presentation and crispness of your work. Make sure you pick a paper of high quality that is suitable for botanical painting.

Social media and networking sites can serve as a great help to some students but as a reminder please be aware that ALL DLDC tutor TAM sheets, DLDC course binder contents and all material associated with the DLDC/ SBA is copyright protected and not to be publically displayed or shared via the internet on Facebook pages or similar sites.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the tutors for their hard work and support along with wishing success and great painting times to every student past and present.

All the best from the DLDC team.

Simon WilliamsCourse Director


News of Students

Betsy Barry - Maclura pomifera (Osage Orange)Lesley Alexander Smith - PetuniaPolly O'Leary - Phragmipedium Bel Royal

For the past 13 years, the SBA DLDC programme has been inspiring and encouraging artists to embrace the challenges of

botanical art. For many students, the course has become the stepping stone to a new career and judging by the success of our graduates, the standards they have achieved on the course are very high.

This year in London, two DLDC 7 graduates won the top prizes at the SBA exhibition. Janet Pope won the Joyce Cuming Presentation Award, whilst Julie Whelan was awarded the Margaret Granger Memorial Silver Bowl for her set of paintings. Polly O’Leary (DLDC 8) and Heidi Venamore (DLDC 9) both were awarded Certificates of Botanical Merit. Polly has been making a great name for herself as an Orchid painter, and her painting of a Phragmipedium Bel Royal was published last year in the Orchid Society of Great Britain’s journal.

Many of our graduates go on to exhibit successfully at the RHS. This year, Soyoung Sin (DLDC 10) won a silver medal for her paintings. Since graduating, Soyoung has been instrumental in setting up the Korea Botanical Arts Cooperative, which had its first international exhibition in Vienna, Austria this year. Artwork by Soyoung Sin, DLDC 11, Sujung Jung, DLDC 12 students Sunhwa

Lee and Jiyeon Choi was included in the exhibition.

Another successful graduate is DLDC 8 graduate, Denise Ramsay, whose work has been accepted into the Hunt Institute’s International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration, Pittsburgh, October 2016. After finishing the course, Denise exhibited at the RHS and not only won a gold medal for her work but had the whole set of paintings bought by Dr Shirley Sherwood for her collection.

DLDC 7 graduate Jessica Shepherd was recently featured on the BBC’s coverage of the Chelsea Garden Show as she had a pop-up studio in Bloms Bulbs. She has been busy working towards her first solo exhibition titled 'Leafscapes' opening at the Abbott and Holder Gallery, London February 2017.

In New Zealand, Lesley Alexander Smith (DLDC 8) recently held her first successful solo show, and has just been invited to exhibit at the annual NZ Art Show in Wellington, an exhibition that showcases emerging as well as established artists. She has been actively involved in the NZ Botanical Art Society, helping to organise workshops and exhibitions.

In the States, Deborah Montgomerie (DLDC 10) has been busy with her ‘Ebey's Landing Prairie Project’ which was inspired by the DLDC’s ‘In the Field’

assignment. She is painting and drawing all the wild plants that grow on Ebey’s Landing in Washington State. She plans to publish a book of the plants, describing their traditional uses and medicinal properties as used by the First Peoples and herbalists of today. She is being assisted by the Pacific Rim Institute.

Betsy Barry (DLDC 10) won the Burggraaff award for most progress on the course, and has continued with her success by having her painting Maclura pomifera (Osage Orange) accepted into the 'Flora of the National Parks' exhibition at the U.S. Botanic Gardens.

One of the nicest things about the course is the friendship that inevitably blossoms between the students. This connection inspired a group of DLDC10 students to start a Postcard Exchange which would enable them to stay in contact once the course had finished. They have been sending each other little paintings in the post ever since.

The one thing that every graduate agrees on is that doing the course has been an enriching experience.

Shevaun Doherty SBA

Shevaun graduated with Distinction on Course 7, became an Associate Member the following year and was elected as a full Member in 2014

Christmas Buffet Lunch

Please note that the views expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Society

www.soc-botanical-artists.org

This is the date you need to put in your diaries. Watch out for the circular with the booking

form which will come out later this year.

The numbers are limited to 70 persons so you are advised to book as soon as

you receive the booking form but in any case by the 30th September

Following the great success of last year’s Christmas lunch we return to our favourite venue - The Art Workers Guild and will book the same excellent outside caterers. I can assure you that for London the price is extremely competitive and excellent value for money.

We are on the lookout for an interesting speaker to add to this (lively!) occasion so if you have a good contact let us know. Further details about this will be issued later. To avoid disappointment please book early as the number of places is limited to 70 persons. Team council and I look forward to seeing you there.


Once again our Christmas Lunch will be held at The Art Workers' Guild. 6 Queen Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 3AT

Wednesday 16 November12.30am

Price £30.00

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