Botanical Art - Resources for Artists

National Botanical Art Societies 

The Society of Botanical Artists

The Society of Botanical Artists was founded in 1985 by the president Suzanne Lucas. This UK Society celebrated its 21st birthday in 2006 and has an annual exhibition in London. It also offers a distance learning course in botanical art.

American Society of Botanical Artists

The American Society of Botanical Artists, Inc. (ASBA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting public awareness of botanical art and to encouraging the development of this continuing artistic tradition.

ASBA Newsletter June 2008

Newsletter of the ASBA

Botanical Art Society of Australia

The Botanical Art Society of Australia (BASA) has been formed as a non-profit organisation to foster and promote the development of botanical art nationwide and to bring together people who have a love of plants and of the botanical art form.

Botanical Artists of Canada

Formed on 2001, this not-for-profit organization supports members through workshops, courses and critiquing sessions. Their quarterly newsletter informs members of upcoming opportunities to exhibit their work or to take courses offered through BAC or by others. They also promote public awareness and appreciation of botanical art through juried exhibitions.

Botanical Artists' Society of Southern Africa

This is the website of a group of South African botanical artists who share their experiences, techniques and information

Society of Dutch Botanical Artists

There soon will be an English version of this site available soon. More information is available from info@botanischkunstenaarsnederland.nl

Guild of Natural Science Illustrators

The Guild of Natural Science Illustrators is an organization of people employed or interested in natural science illustration.

The Botanical Art Society of New Zealand Inc

The Botanical Art Society of New Zealand Inc

Regional Botanical Art Societies 

Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California

The Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California is dedicated to encouraging the development of botanical art and the promotion of public awareness of this artistic tradition.

Botanical Art Society of the National Capital Region (BASNCR)

The Botanical Art Society of the National Capital Region (BASNCR) is an incorporated nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting public interest in botanical art.

The Botanical ArtistsÂ’ Society of Queensland

The Botanical Artists' Society of Queensland is a voluntary, non profit organisation formed to foster a greater knowledge, love and understanding of Botanical Art.

Botanical Art Society of the Sunshine Coast

The Botanical Art Society of the Sunshine Coast is a not-for-profit organization established to cultivate and promote the creation of botanical art in the region of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. It aims to bring together people and artists who share a love of plants and of the botanical form of art.

New England Society of Botanical Artists

Working to promote public appreciation of the art and science of botanical art and illustration in New England.

Philadelphia Society of Botanical Illustrators

... to bring Botanical Illustration to the attention of many audiences,
to educate, to celebrate the artistic development of our members, to provide an opportunity to exhibit together.

Northern Society of Botanical Art

NORTHERN SOCIETY FOR BOTANICAL ART
Members of the society share a common interest in plants and flowers. Membership open to anyone interested in botanical illustration and able to show a reasonable degree of competence in their work. Holds exhibitions and monthly meetings, with occasional speakers.
(Based in Sheffield, UK)

Florilegium Societies 

The Florilegium Society

The Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society was formed in 1995, with the primary aim of recording in paintings and drawings, the plants growing in the Physic Garden.

The Hampton Court Palace Florilegium Society

The Hampton Court Palace Florilegium Society - was founded by a group of botanical artists
who gained the Diploma in Botanical Illustration (English Gardening School) at the Chelsea Physic Garden, London. Members have botanical paintings in both private and public collections in the USA, Europe and the UK.

The Society aims to establish an Archive of botanically correct paintings and drawings of the plants growing in the gardens and glasshouses at Hampton Court Palace.

Florilegium Society at Sheffield Botanical Gardens

The Florilegium Society was established to produce an archive of botanical illustrations of the plants of Sheffield Botanical Gardens. Botanical illustration is the marrying of art and science where the structures of plants are displayed in clear, scientifically accurate detail. The archive will provide a useful source of reference and a scientific and historical record of the regeneration of Sheffield Botanical Gardens.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Florilegium

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden Florilegium Society, a group of the country's most accomplished botanical artists. Established in 2000, the Florilegium is a multiyear project to document Brooklyn Botanic Garden's living collections through botanical art and preserve the same plants in our 250,000-specimen herbarium.

Making A Mark - on Botanical Art 

posts about botanical art from Katherine Tyrrell's blog

Making a Mark: The Society of Botanical Artists is 21!

(March 2006) The Society of Botanical Artists is 21 and has its annual exhibition at Westminster........Over 700 pictures are going to exhibited and the link to the exhibition (above) provides images of some of these. A number of these push the boundaries of what many people might think a conventional botanical flower drawing or painting should look like. I'm personally very pleased to see that there's room for all manner of interpretations.

Making a Mark: NEW: The Botanical Palette: Colour for the Botanical Painter

(November 2007) Getting the colour right is one of the main challenges for a botanical artist. Consequently it can also be one of the aspects of which causes the most worry to aspiring botanical artists.

Last month a new instruction book was published which focuses solely on the subject of how to achieve the right colour in botanical art. It provides a very authoritative and helpful guide to this topic - and will doubtless be welcomed by all those seeking to develop and improve the quality of their botanical art.

Making a Mark: Treasures of Botanical Art - a recommended read

(April 2008) Treasures of Botanical Art by Shirley Sherwood and Martyn Rix has been published by Kew Publishing to mark the inaugural exhibition of the The Shirley Sherwood Gallery in Kew Gardens, the first gallery in the world to be dedicated to year round exhibitions of botanical art.

The book is extensively illustrated and features some 200 illustrations of paintings and drawings from both the Kew and Shirley Sherwood collections.

Making a Mark: Volume 1 of The Highgrove Florilegium is published

This week the first volume of the Highgrove Florilegium was published by Alecto Publications. In this post I'm looking at

* the definition of a Florilegium,
* the publication of the first volume of the Highgrove Florilegium
* Historical Florilegia
* Contemporary Florilegia in the making

Making a Mark: A visit to the Chelsea Physic Garden

About a visit to the Chelsea Physic Garden which lies in between the River Thames and the Chelsea Embankment and Royal Hospital Road. It's a real haven of peace as well as being a wonderful garden for artists interested in botanical art.

Making a Mark: Book Review - 1001 Plant and floral illustrations from early herbals

There's very little text and an awful lot of engravings and illustrations used in early herbals. Very helpful to those interested in early botanical art.

Making a Mark: Book Review: Besler's Book of Flowers and Plants

This is a book which is heavy on images and light on text. This A4 sized book contains 73 full-colour plates - one per page - from the Hortus Eystettensis 1613.

Making a Mark: The Art of the Garden

Linked to a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show, this post introduces two leading contemporary botanical artists
- Ann Swan SBA, who works in coloured pencil
- Bryan Poole RE, who produces aquatint etchings

Making a Mark: Gardens and Botanical Art

Do you draw inspiration from natural forms? Do you like observing everything about plants? If you do you probably like gardens and you may have become interested in botanical art.

What I want to do is share what I know about good gardens to visit and I'm very much hoping people with share with me which are the good gardens that they've visited.

Making a Mark: I'm improving my botanical knowledge

As many of you know I love gardens and drawing flowers and plants. This week I found out about and instantly signed up to receive the Botany Photo of the Day missive from the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research located in Vancouver, Canada.

I could do with improving my botanical knowledge - I have been known to post a drawing and then ask what it is!

Making a Mark: Botanical artist - Pierre-Joseph Redouté

Pierre-Joseph Redouté was the man who painted the beautiful roses and lillies. I've now learned that in total he produced over 2100 published plates depicting over 1800 different species, many of which had never been rendered before.

Making a Mark: Botanical artists - Franz and Ferdinand Bauer

When you begin to learn about botanical art you begin to hear about the Bauer Brothers. Then you see some of their work and you begin to realise why they are so very highly regarded in the field of botanical illustration.

Making a Mark: A Making A Mark Interview with Margaret Stevens

It was my very great pleasure last Friday to meet up with and interview Margaret Stevens PSBA, FSBA and to discuss with her the SBA's Distance Learning Diploma Course in botanical painting.

Margaret has a number of very important roles. She's

* current President of the Society of Botanical Artists,
* the Course Director for the Distance Learning Diploma Course and
* the author who wrote and co-ordinated the production of the two books produced by the SBA - The Art of Botanical Painting and The Botanical Palette: Colour for the Botanical Painter

Making a Mark: You cannot copyright nature

Did you know that you can't copyright nature? I've recently come across a couple of blog posts which highlight some potential copyright pitfalls for artists who draw and paint nature in terms of:

* natural history subjects,
* animals and wildlife,
* flowers and plants and
* natural landscapes.

Making a Mark: Genres and the results of "What's your favourite subject matter?"

Drawing or painting flowers or producing botanical art attracted 12% of the poll - which is 50% more than the number who voted for still life as being their favourite subject (8%)

Making a Mark: Exhibition review: The Art of Plant Evolution

Exhibition Review - The Art of Plant Evolution at Kew Gardens. It manages to neatly combine art and science by displaying botanical paintings in the latest evolutionary sequence revealed by recent DNA analysis.

Botanical Art Instruction - Diplomas and Certificates 

The Society of Botanical Artists - Distance learning diploma course botanical art.

The Society's aim is to develop those skills and help to create a good, well-rounded botanical painter.

The Course is open to students anywhere in the world and there are already students from the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Australia, The Netherlands, Italy, the USA, Switzerland, Singapore, South Africa, Greece, Sweden and France. The Course lasts for 27 months and the fee includes a student subscription to the Society for the duration of the Course.

The Course is not for beginners in watercolour painting but rather for those with some knowledge of the subject and a wish to learn more about botanical art and its associated skills.

University of Sheffield - Programmes: Botanical Illustration

# One of the leading part-time courses in Botanical Illustration in the country
# Experienced and enthusiastic tutors
# Friendly classes where newcomers to the subject are as welcome as more experienced artists and botanists
# Small class sizes to allow for individual support and tuition
# Teaching concentrated into day-long blocks for flexibility of study
# Certificate in Botanical Illustration Programme Code: ACE U104
# Diploma in Botanical Illustration Programme Code: ACE U105

Diploma Course Botanical Painting - The English Gardening School

One Year Diploma Course (one day per week) at the English Gardening School at the Chelsea Physic Garden in London

Our Botanical Painting Diploma course is regarded as partially responsible for the resurgence of interest in this ancient method of depicting plants. The School prides itself on the high level of achievement of its students who have gained places in the collection of the Hunt Institute of Botanical Documentation in Pittsburgh and the Shirley Sherwood Collection. Students have been awarded medals by the Royal Horticultural Society, have held exhibitions and one-man shows in London, the provinces and in the USA.

The training aims to teach the accurate illustration of plant material in watercolour by developing the necessary observational and drawing skills within a historical context. An understanding and appreciation of botany, as taught on the course, is deemed vital to realistic plant depiction.

RBGE Diploma In Botanical Illustration At Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

The art short courses run for ten week periods and allow you to work from a novice through to an experience level that qualifies you for entry on to the RBGE Diploma in Botanical Illustration.

* 10-week art classes
* 20-week Foundation to RBGE Diploma in Botanical Illustration
* Advanced art masterclasses
* Classes at Benmore and Dawyck Botanic Gardens

Denver Botanic Gardens - Botanical Art and Illustration Program

Denver Botanic Gardens' Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration Program is designed to teach the skills necessary to portray plants accurately both for scientific purposes and for beautiful plant illustrations. The program is ope

Denver Botanic Gardens' Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration Program

Denver Botanic Gardens' Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration Program is designed to teach the skills necessary to portray plants accurately both for scientific purposes and for beautiful plant illustrations. The program is open for everybody, both for committed illustrator and enthusiastic amateur. The program can lead to a Certificate that is offered only a few locations worldwide.

Botanical Art Instruction - At Botanical Gardens 

Cambridge University Botanic Garden: Adult education courses

Cambridge University Botanic Garden - Adult courses include botanical art and painting. Note courses seem to become fully booked quickly.

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Regional Edinburgh Courses Training Lessons Classes List

Advanced Art Masterclasses at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Regional Edinburgh.with named artists.

Botanical Art and Natural Science Illustration at the New York Botanical Garden

Botanical Art and Illustration encompasses a variety of techniques for depicting botanical subjects in fine art, scientific illustration, and decorative design. Our interdisciplinary approach integrates botany and art in both the garden and the classroom settings, and instructors are professional artists with backgrounds in botanical and natural science, design, and illustration.

Denver Botanic Gardens' Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration Program

Denver Botanic Gardens' Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration Program is designed to teach the skills necessary to portray plants accurately both for scientific purposes and for beautiful plant illustrations. The program is open for everybody, both for committed illustrator and enthusiastic amateur. The program can lead to a Certificate that is offered only a few locations worldwide.

Desert Botanical Garden – - Botanical Illustration

The Botanical Art and Illustration programme at the Desert Botanical Garden is suitable for a variety of interests, whether you are a beginner with no experience or an enthusiast seeking to enroll in the certificate program, all are welcome. Courses are taught by talented, experienced instructors in the field of botanical art. Course sizes are limited to 15 students to ensure a personalized and encouraging atmosphere.

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Art Institute

ASDM Art Institute - Conservation Through Art Education

Botanic Art & Classes - Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne

the art of botanical illustration is a highly specialised art form, in which plant portraits combine finely observed detail with artistic expression. classes conducted by talented artists are held regularly throughout the year in the great melbourne telescope building, observatory gate, royal botani

Friends of the Geelong Botanic Gardens - Botanic Art Classes

Botanic Art classes have been held at the Friends' Meeting room for a number of years, with many of our students returning each year. A number of these students have received recognition at significant Botanic Art exhibitions both locally and internationally.

Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden - classes

This is a NOT a website which is friendly to those wanting to try and find out details about classes and comes a long way behind the calibre of information found on other botanical gardens websites.

Botanical Art Instruction - Individual Tutors 

The Society of Botanical Artists - Courses by Members

Botanical Illustration and/or Botanical Painting Courses Run by Members of The Society of Botanical Artists.

Ann Swan botanical art coloured pencil workshops and courses

Botanical art coloured pencil workshops by Ann Swan, one of the best contemporary botanical artists in the UK.

Botanical Art School of Melbourne

The 'Botanical Art School of Melbourne (BASM)' was established in 1992 with the aim of teaching the skills necessary to enable artists to draw and paint with a thorough understanding of the importance of line, form, colour, perspective and composition, in a very friendly and stimulating environment.

Leonie Norton - Botanical Artist, Tutor & Author

Leonie Norton is an Australian botanical artist and is Sydney's most prominent botanical art educator. Her paintings can be found in private and public collections, in Australia and overseas.

Katie Lee - Botanical Painter, Zoological Painter

Katie Lee is a respected botanical and wildlife artist and instructor. A graduate of the New York Botanical Garden Botanical Illustration program, she has been an instructor at that institution for the past 15 years. Ms. Lee teaches drawing, watercolor, gouache and composition courses at various locations worldwide

Botanical Art Instruction - Workshops and Courses 

The Society of Botanical Artists - Courses in botanical art by institution

The Society of Botanical Artists lists all the courses of which it has knowledge but cannot recommend one venue over another. However, the Society obviously recommends those venues which feature SBA members as tutors. SBA members are highlighted in the listing.

Cornell University - Introduction to botanical illustration (online course)

Introduction to Botanical Illustration - Drawing Plant Forms in Pencil & Ink
This six-week online course for beginners (seven including the introductory week) teaches you how to use plants as the subject of art with easy approaches and many visual examples. Because you take the course online, you can access it whenever you want and complete the lessons at your own pace.

The Guild of Natural Science Illustrators - workshops

The Guild of Natural Science Illustrators is an organization of people employed or interested in natural science illustration.

Montgomery Parks: Brookside Gardens - School of Botanical Art and Illustration

Developed in collaboration with world-renowned botanical artist, Margaret Saul, the Brookside Gardens School of Botanical Art & Illustration offers botanical art class that serve all levels, from beginner to advanced.

Making a Mark reviews - Botanical Art Books 

a consumer's guide to quality and value in art books, art supplies and services to artists

Making a Mark reviews......: Book Review: The Art of Botanical Painting

Summary: An essential book for all artists contemplating the SBA's Diploma Course. An excellent introduction to botanical art for all experienced artists interested in developing their knowledge of and skills in botanical art

Making a Mark reviews......: Book Review: Botanical Illustration

Book review of Valerie Oxley's book on Botanical Illustration
Summary: An excellent manual for anybody who wants to learn more about botanical illustration - very detailed and very helpful. Very well illustrated in terms of both the range and the quality of reproduction

Botanical Art - Tips and Techniques 

ArtPlantae Today - Today's Botanical Artists Answer Your Questions

Thirteen questions were submitted by readers and these questions were distributed among members of the panel. A heartfelt Thank You to members of the panel for sharing their thoughts, knowledge, and experience with us. And thank you to the hungry minds who submitted questions. Great job!

Click on the topics to begin your review of this "Ask The Artist" session.

Guardian - Van Gogh's Sunflowers have become monsters. But I'd rather have them than 'botanical art'

Germaine Greer: Despite the phenomenal marketability of flower paintings, no one does them any more. What proliferates instead is botanical art

Botanicart is a Botanical Art industry news and information service

Botanical Art industry news and information service for botanical artists.

Botanical Art - Current Exhibitions 

see another module below for links to past exhibitions

The Art of Plant Evolution

The Art of Plant Evolution - 22 August- 03 January 2010
Art meets science in this exhibition of botanical paintings at the The Shirley Sherwood Gallery at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew

Not only is botanical art undergoing a renaissance today but recent genetic discoveries have changed the nomenclature and evolutionary sequence of many plants during the last ten years.

Each species chosen is illustrated with a painting selected from over 700 contemporary works in the Shirley Sherwood Collection. The paintings will display a sampling of the plant world from fungi to daisies, including algae, mosses, ferns, conifers and flowering plants. The 136 paintings by 84 artists will cover 50 orders of plants in 118 families for a total of 133 species, providing a sweeping overview of the evolution of plants on earth.

(Review to be posted shortly on Making A Mark)

News about the new Gallery of Botanical Art at Kew 

Making a Mark: Kew opens the world's first dedicated botanical art gallery

On Saturday 19th April, The Shirley Sherwood Gallery opened at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. It will exhibit precious works of botanical art from the collections of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Dr Shirley Sherwood.

This is a record of my visit to the exhibition and focuses on some of the artists in history whose botanical art is included in the exhibition

Royal Botanic Gardens Press Release: New Gallery of Botanical Art Opens at Kew Gardens, Spring 2008

Press Release: New Gallery of Botanical Art Opens at Kew Gardens, Spring 2008
The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at Kew Gardens, opening in spring 2008, will be the first gallery in the world dedicated to botanical art and open to the public all year round. The gallery, designed by award-winning architects Walters and Cohen, will exhibit precious works of art from the collections of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Dr Shirley Sherwood, many of which have never been on public display before.

The Shirley Sherwood Gallery at Kew Gardens reveals the beauty of botany - Times Online

Until this month, the world's premier collection of botanical art, consisting of some 200,000 drawings, watercolours, oil paintings and prints, had been kept filed away in drawers and boxes in the Library at Kew Gardens.

Daily Telegraph - Kew's £3m gallery to showcase botanic art

It is one of the great secret art collections of Britain - and finally it has a home where the public can enjoy it. Costing £3 million, it will allow the public to see for the first time the gems in the Royal Botanic Gardens's vast holding of more than 200,000 prints, drawings and paintings dating back to 1700.

Digging up treasures: Kew shows off plant pictures in new gallery | Arts | The Guardian

Garden's display space, with low light and humidity control, is the world's first gallery dedicated entirely to botanical art - opens at Kew Gardens in London.

BBC NEWS | UK | Kew opens botanical art gallery

The world's first gallery dedicated to botanical art opens to the public. Includes a news video which shows shots of the gallery and close-ups of works on display.

Kew opens the world's first gallery for botanical art - News, Art & Architecture - The Independent

Until now, Kew Gardens' collection of 200,000 botanical drawings and manuscripts have only been available to experts and researchers who have had to apply for permission to study the works.

The Shirley Sherwood Gallery is the world's first purpose-built space for botanical drawings - many of which are extremely delicate watercolours on paper and vellum.

Walters and Cohen, the architects, were given a brief to create a space that would protect the art works with dim light levels, a constant temperature of 21C and 55 per cent humidity.

Making a Mark: Treasures of Botanical Art - a recommended read

Treasures of Botanical Art by Shirley Sherwood and Martyn Rix has been published by Kew Publishing to mark the inaugural exhibition of the The Shirley Sherwood Gallery in Kew Gardens, the first gallery in the world to be dedicated to year round exhibitions of botanical art.

The book is extensively illustrated and features some 200 illustrations of paintings and drawings from both the Kew and Shirley Sherwood collections.

Making a Mark: Exhibition review: "The Power of Plants" at Kew Gardens

What The Power of Plants exhibition does is display a selection of botanical drawings, paintings and illustrations of plants which have either an economic value or have some component which is essential to human well-being - for examples in relation to physical well-being, food and textiles.

Making a Mark: Exhibition Review - In Search of Gingers

In Search of Gingers is an exhibition of works by Sandy Ross Sykes at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery (Galleries 3 and 4) at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew which continues until 26 July 2009.

The exhibition is a fascinating mixture of sketchbooks, records from her journals, artifacts collected en route and the final paintings. It's organised around her journies and search for different gingers. Each journey to different parts of South East Asia is described.

Making a Mark: Exhibition review: Contemporary Australasian Botanical Artists

Down Under: Contemporary Botanical Artists from Australia and New Zealand is an exhibition of contemporary botanical art by exceptional Australian and New Zealand artists. The works on display now form part of Dr Shirley Sherwood's Collection.

The exhibition can be seen at the at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and the exhibition continues until 26th July 2009.

Botanical Art Exhibitions - past exhibitions 

Information and guidelines for entering exhibition and competitions

Royal Horticultural Society - Exhibition of botanical art at RHS Shows

This page contains details of the exhibition of botanical art at RHS shows

Royal Horticultural Society - Guidelines for exhibiting botanical art at RHS shows

This page contains guidelines for exhibiting botanical art at RHS shows

Royal Horticultural Society - Regulations for exhibiting botanical art at RHS shows

This page contains the regulations for exhibiting botanical art at RHS shows

The Society of Botanical Artists - how to exhibit

This webpage provides details of how to become a member and how to exhibit with The Society of Botanical Artists in London. Note that the Annual Exhibition in April each year is also open to non members from all over the world.

New York School of Interior Design: Watercolors from the Highgrove Florilegium

Watercolors from the Highgrove Florilegium
Botanical Paintings from the Garden of HRH The Prince of Wales
January 23 - April 12, 2008
NYSID Gallery, 161 East 69th Street

An exhibition of 75 watercolors of plants, fruits, and vegetables growing in the garden at Highgrove, the Gloucestershire residence of HRH The Prince of Wales. The works depict a selection of botanical varieties from the 15-acre garden. The show, organized according to botanical classification, marks the first public display of the watercolors, which are owned by A. G. Carrick Ltd and loaned with the kind permission of HRH The Prince of Wales.

The Ashmolean - Museum of Art & Archaeology

Ashmolean Museum:
A New Flowering: 1000 Years of Botanical Art
2nd May 2005 to 11th September 2005

One thousand years of botanical art was displayed in the Ashmolean's lead exhibition of 2005, providing a unique opportunity to compare illustrations by contemporary artists with the remarkable botanical art of the past.

Times Higher Education - Timothy walker is drawn to the budding artists of biology

The verisimilitude of Vicky Cox's White Onion and Skin makes you reach for the knife and the chopping board'

a new flowering - 1,000 years of botanical art
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, to September 11

1000 Years Of Botanical Art At Oxford's Ashmolean Museum - 24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage

The Eldon and McAlpine Galleries at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford are, until September 11 2005, home to a stunning collection that spans over 1,000 years of botanical art from all over the world.

Hunt Institute: Past Exhibitions

Past exhibitions at the Hunt Institute.

The University of Delaware: The Art of Botanical Illustration (2001)

On-line exhibition of The Art of Botanical Illustration

Art Exhibition 2008 - Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne Australia.
Over the last ten years there has been a resurgence in the popularity of botanical illustration worldwide, and here in Australia this is partly due to the biennial exhibition of The Art of Botanical Illustration. Its growing profile, both nationally and internationally, has ensured its place as a major botanical illustration exhibition for artists and collectors alike.

Maria Sibylla Merian - at the Getty Museum, Buckingham Palace and Kew Gardens

Maria Sibylla Merian was both a Naturalist and a Botanical Illustrator. She's rated as being one of the greatest ever artists of botanical and entomological subjects. Her profile has never been higher - and she currently features significantly in three major exhibitions in the USA and London.

Making A Mark - on Botanical Art Exhibitions 

Making a Mark: Review of the SBA Exhibition (2006)

(April 2006) I visited the Society of Botanical Artists exhibition yesterday and was totally blown away by the very fine quality of most of the artwork shown. There are some very impressive and accomplished artists exhibiting with the SBA - including a number of coloured pencil artists.

Most of the artwork is in watercolour with a good showing of coloured pencil and pencil work, although the exhibition also includes work by people painting in oils and pastels. The website while clearly demonstrating the breadth of work fails to reflect so clearly the very high quality of a lot of the work on display due to the small size of the website images.

Making a Mark: Society of Botanical Artists - Flowers and Gardens Exhibition 2007

(April 2007) The annual Flowers and Gardens exhibition by the Society of Botanical Artists at Central Hall Westminster maintained its very high standard this year and reflected the Society's willingness to include a wide variety of approaches and media for the representation of botanical art including fruit, vegetables and fungi as well as flowers and gardens.

On display were 728 drawings and paintings, 11 Miniatures, and 26 sculptures. As last year, most of the artwork in the exhibition is executed in watercolour. Other media used included Pencil, Coloured Pencils (including watercolour pencils) Acrylics, Pastels, Ink, Oil, Lino Cut Prints and Gouache on black paper

Making a Mark: Society of Botanical Artists - The Botanical Palette exhibition

(April 2008) I visited the 22nd Annual Exhibition of the Society of Botanical Artists (SBA) yesterday. This year, the Society is celebrating the publication of its second book and its title is reflected in the title of the exhibition "The Botanical Palette".

Making a Mark: Two works juried into SBA Annual Exhibition

I've had news that two of my coloured pencil drawings have been juried into the Annual Exhibition of the Society of Botanical Artists.

Making a Mark: Exhibition Review: Society of Botanical Artists (2009) #1

The standard of work at this year's Annual "Flowers and Gardens" Exhibition of the Society of Botanical Artists is simply stunning. I urge all artists who have ever wanted to pursue botanical or floral art to go and take a look at the quality of the 700+ works on display.

Making a Mark: Exhibition Review: Society of Botanical Artists (2009) #2

This post focuses on individual artists in this year's Annual "Flowers and Gardens" Exhibition of the Society of Botanical Artists. [Now updated to include all the details of prizewinners]

Making a Mark: The biggest exhibition of coloured pencil artwork in the UK

...the SBA Annual Exhibition is currently providing the largest display of coloured pencil artwork in the UK in the last 12 months (although obviously not an exhibition which is a dedicated display of coloured pencil art.)

Artists using coloured pencils for botanical art and flowers depicting flowers and gardens are:...

Making a Mark: Exhibition review: Contemporary Australasian Botanical Artists

Down Under: Contemporary Botanical Artists from Australia and New Zealand is an exhibition of contemporary botanical art by exceptional Australian and New Zealand artists. The works on display now form part of Dr Shirley Sherwood's Collection.

The exhibition can be seen at the at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and the exhibition continues until 26th July 2009.

Making a Mark: Exhibition Review - In Search of Gingers

In Search of Gingers is an exhibition of works by Sandy Ross Sykes at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery (Galleries 3 and 4) at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew which continues until 16th August 2009. It's previously been exhibited in Hong Kong by the British Council.

Making a Mark: Exhibition review: "The Power of Plants" at Kew Gardens

This is the last review of the the three exhibitions of botanical art which are currently on display at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

Making a Mark: Exhibition Review: The Highgrove Florilegium at the Garden Museum

I recently visited the Garden Museum where there is an exhibition this summer of some of the original botanical art paintings which make up the Highgrove Florilegium. The exhibition continues until 31st August 2009.

Botanical Art Competitions & Awards 

Margaret Flockton Award 2008 - Botanic Gardens Trust - Sydney, Australia

The Margaret Flockton Award is open to Australian and overseas artists producing scientific botanical illustrations of a high standard.

Curtis's Botanical Magazine 

published for the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew by Blackwell Publishing

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Data and Publications: curtis's botanical magazine

Curtis's Botanical Magazine provides an international forum of particular interest to botanists and horticulturists, plant ecologists and those with a special interest in botanical illustration.

Curtis's Botanical Magazine has been published continuously since 1787.
Currently published for the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew by Blackwell Publishing
Print ISSN: 1355-4905
Online ISSN: 1467-8748
Frequency: Quarterly (February, May, August and November)

Blackwell Publishing - Curtis's Botanical Magazine

Published on behalf of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
List of issues back to 1999

Examples of Botanical Art 

Society of Botanical Artists (UK) - Members Gallery

See the work produced by the members of the Society of Botanical Artists

American Society of Botanical Artists - Members Gallery

Click on the members names to see their websites

Botanical Art Society of Australia - Members Gallery

Click an image for a larger view and a members profile

Botanical Artists of Canada - Members' Gallery

To visit a member's gallery, click on a name and to find a biography, images of drawings or paintings, and contact information for the artist.

Botanical Artists of Souther Africa - Members Gallery

This gallery contains examples of botanical art produced by the members of BAASA and short biographies of the artists represented

Catalog of Botanical Illustrations, Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution

The Department of Botany of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History has created a database of the more than 3000 botanical illustrations curated by the department's scientific illustrator, Alice Tangerini.

Curtis Botanical Magazine

William Curtis (1746-1799) was a trained pharmacist living in London, whose greater interest was the study of flora and insects. He maintained a large garden where he grew beautiful exotic plants, and began publishing the Curtis Botanical Magazine in 1787. This digital presentation represents one thousand fifty records, one thousand forty-eight plates, (two of the original plates are missing, plates 797 & 860),
and there are one thousand four hundred fifty-six related pages of text from the first 26 volumes.

Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation

Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation promotes the history of botany through its collections, research, exhibitions, publications, and services.

Botanical Art and Images, Botany Department, Smithsonian Institution

Botanical art at the Smithsonian.

Victoria & Albert Print Room - Botanical Illustration

Images and information about the art of botanical drawing from the 15th century to the present day.

The Endeavour Botanical Illustrations at the Natural History Museum

The voyage of HMS Endeavour (1768-1771) was the first devoted exclusively to scientific discovery. This site presents most of the botanical drawings and engravings prepared by artist Sydney Parkinson before his untimely death at sea, and by other artists back in England working from Parkinson's initial sketches

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Library & Archives

The Library has more than 200,000 prints and drawings, including original works of art in various media. These range in date from the great masters of botanical illustration of the 18th century, such as G.D. Ehret, P.J. Redouté and the Bauer brothers, through to Thomas Duncanson, George Bond and Walter Hood Fitch in the 19th century. The holdings include a high proportion of the early originals prepared for Curtis's Botanical Magazine, together with the work of 20th century contributors

Cincinnati Historical Society - Hauck Collection Highlights

From Seed to Flower: Selected Books from the Cornelius J. Hauck Botanical Collection at the Cincinnati Historical Society Library

An overview of the botanical paintings of Christine Brodie

(Extarct from Microscopy-UK Micscape Microscopy and Microscopes Magazine: Micscape Magazine for enthusiast microscopy)
Christine Brodie recently completed work on an instruction book about botanical painting, titled Drawing And Painting Plants, to be published by A & C Black in October 2006. The book takes a novel approach in that not only painting and drawing methods, but techniques such as dissection, collection of plants, environmental studies, microscopic work and botanical nomenclature are all covered. Students not only learn how to study and paint flowering plants, but the whole plant kingdom, including coniferous trees, fungi, ferns, mosses, seaweeds and lichens.

The Endeavour Botanical Illustrations at the Natural History Museum

Search the "The Endeavour" Botanical Illustrations online

WOMEN AND NATURE: Illustrators & Colorists

WOMEN & NATURE exhibition 2001
Department of Special Collections, Memorial Library, University of Wisconsin-Madison

handprint : botanical illustration

Botanical Illustration is one of the oldest watercolor genres, associated throughout its history with the importance of plants to human health, recreation, and appreciation of beauty.

Botanical Art Sketchbooks - online 

My Botanical Sketchbooks

Jacqueline Allwood
This little book, hand bound with blue pages, is one in which I have recorded some of my snowdrop sketches. I have used some of these on the Small Snowdrop Vases

BOTANICAL ART BOOKS, Herbals and Florilegium 

Links to sites which tell you more about great botanical art books

Hortus Sanitatis

The Hortus Sanitatis or the Ortus Sanitatis (the origin of health), as it is also known, is in the tradition of the medieval herbals. It is partly based on Der Gart der Gesundheit (Garden of Health), which is sometimes attributed to Johann von Cube, and was originally printed by Peter Schoeffer at Mainz in 1485.

Most of the 1,066 chapters of the first edition are headed by a woodcut and there were also several full page woodcuts

Showcases - Landmarks in Printing :: Hortus Eystettensis

In 1611, the Prince Bishop of Eichstätt in Germany determined to record for posterity the spectacular garden he'd created at his palace in Bavaria with plants from around the world. Hundreds of his favourite flowers where carefully drawn and engraved as they bloomed through the four seasons. Published in 1613, the finished catalogue was the largest and most magnificent florilegium ever made.

Florilegium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Florilegium (plural Florilegia) is a Latin word for a collection of 'flowers' (excellent excerpts), from the corpus of a considerably larger oeuvre. ...

World Wide Words: Florilegium

However, florilegium first appeared in the English language in 1711 in a sense nearer the literal one: describing a collection of flower illustrations. ...

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Florilegium

The earliest florilegia-anthologies of illustrations describing living collections of flowering plants-first appeared 400 years ago. ...

The Prince of Wales - The Highgrove Florilegium is published

The Highgrove Florilegium is published 21st April 2008

Two of The Prince's passions, horticulture and painting, have been combined in a new book, The Highgrove Florilegium.

The Highgrove Florilegium is a collection of more than 120 original prints from watercolour paintings celebrating the gardens at Highgrove, and represents the culmination of over six years work. All proceeds from the book will go to charity.

Highgrove: the florilegium returns

Combining craftsmanship and royal patronage, the Highgrove Florilegium (which has taken a mere seven years to produce) records the plants growing at the Prince of Wales' home in Gloucestershire.

A Modern British Florilegium | The New York Sun

The plant studies of Leonardo and Dürer move us not just as remarkable works of art, but also by the faith they show in the accord between artistic and scientific inquiry. Expectations of art and science have changed since the Renaissance, but the practice of botanical art continued to flourish, most notably in the 17th through 19th centuries, in the form of florilegia - collections of images of plants from a particular garden. A handsome exhibition at the New York School of Interior Design focuses on this traditional genre, with 74 contemporary watercolors loaned by permission of one of today's better known traditionalists: HRH the Prince of Wales.
(Includes slideshow)

Alecto Publications: Highgrove Florilegium

The Highgrove Florilegium

Making a Mark: Book Review: Besler's Book of Flowers and Plants

This is a book which is heavy on images and light on text. This A4 sized book contains 73 full-colour plates - one per page - from the Hortus Eystettensis 1613.

Making a Mark: Book Review - 1001 Plant and floral illustrations from early herbals

There's very little text and an awful lot of engravings and illustrations used in early herbals. Very helpful to those interested in early botanical art.

Making a Mark: Book Review: Merian's Antique Botanical Prints

Last week I posted about the exhibitions involving Maria Sibylla Merian in Maria Sibylla Merian - at the Getty Museum, Buckingham Palace and Kew Gardens. I said I'd also post my review of a book of Merian's Antique Botanical Prints CD-ROM and Book (Pictorial Archives) by Maria Sibylla Merian and published by Dover Publications - nut neglected to do so - so here it is. I'm not going to repeat the detail about who she is - save to say she is one of the most respected and remarkable women who ever drew and painted botanical and natural history subjects - and that she died in her 70th year in 1717.

Making a Mark: Find out about the history of botanical art

I've always been really interested in the historical aspects of botanical art but I've been finding out more and more about it ever since I visited the new Shirley Sherwood Gallery at Kew in April and saw, for the very first time, botanical art which had been drawn or painted by the acknowledged experts in this field.

Outstanding Botanical Artists - in Art History 

Basilius Besler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Basilius Besler From Wikipedia,
Basilius Besler (1561 - 1629), was a respected Nuremberg apothecary and botanist, best known for his monumental Hortus Eystettensis.

The work was named Hortus Eystettensis (Garden at Eichstätt). The emphasis in botanicals of previous centuries had been on medicinal and culinary herbs, and these had usually been depicted in a crude manner. The images were often inadequate for identification, and had little claim to being aesthetic. The Hortus Eystettensis changed botanical art overnight. The plates were of garden flowers, herbs and vegetables, exotic plants such as castor-oil and arum lilies. These were depicted near life-size, producing rich detail. The layout was artistically pleasing and quite modern in concept, with the hand-colouring adding greatly to the final effect. The work was first published in 1613 and consisted of 367 copper engravings, with an average of three plants per page, so that a total of 1084 species were depicted.

Maria Sibylla Merian - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maria Sibylla Merian From Wikipedia

Maria Sibylla Merian (born April 2, 1647 in Frankfurt - died January 13, 1717 in Amsterdam) was a naturalist and scientific illustrator who studied plants and insects and made detailed paintings about them.

WOMEN AND NATURE: Maria Sibylla Merian

WOMEN & NATURE exhibition 2001
Department of Special Collections, Memorial Library, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Maria Sibylla Merian. Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium. Hamburg: Hoffman und Campe Verlag, 1964.

Rhagor | Early Herbals - The German fathers of botany

Amgueddfa Cymru has a number of pre-1701 books in the Museum's Library, including a number of 16th- and 17th-century 'herbals' featuring examples of the works of three men who have been described as the 'German fathers of botany'

Elizabeth Blackwell (illustrator) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Elizabeth Blackwell (illustrator) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elizabeth Blackwell (1707[1] -1758), was a Scottish botanical illustrator and author. She achieved fame as a botanical illustrator, and was both artist and engraver for the plates of "A Curious Herbal", published between 1737 and 1739. The book illustrated many odd-looking and unknown plants from the New World, and was designed as a reference work on medicinal plants for the use of physicians and apothecaries.

Georg Dionysius Ehret (1708-1770)

Ehret lived at a time of scientific discovery and enlightenment in Europe, a 'golden age of botanical art'. Ehret became recognised as an outstanding botanical artist. His unique style and clarity of plant illustration was immediately useful and sought out by specialists.

Botanical art by Georg Dionysius Ehret,

The Fitzwilliam Museum's Cambridge collection of 54 plates of botanical art created by Georg Dionysius Ehret, German Painter and Illustrator, 1710-1770

Sydney Parkinson (1745? - 1771)

Sydney Parkinson, age 22, was a member of one of the greatest scientific expeditions of all time, Captain Cook's voyage of discovery to the South Pacific (1768-1771). During two years of the voyage, Parkinson produced hundreds of drawings and sketches of the animals and plants that were discovered.

Ferdinand Lucas Bauer (1760-1826)

Ferdinand Bauer is internationally regarded as an outstanding botanical artist. His depictions of the Australian flora and fauna, which he made during the voyage of HMS Investigator (1801-1803) under the command of Captain Flinders, represents one of the greatest achievements in the annals of natural history art.

Franz (Francis) Andreas Bauer (1758-1840)

Born in Feldsburg, Austria, Franz was the older brother of Ferdinand Bauer, the famous botanical artist. After arriving in England in 1788, Sir Joseph Banks employed Franz as a botanical artist at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.
For the next 40 years, Bauer illustrated the newly discovered plants from around the world that were introduced to England via Kew, where they were grown and studied for the first time in a scientific manner.

Redouté, Pierre-Joseph (1802) Les Liliacées [Tome 1]

The Lilies. Universities of Strasbourg - digitalised old books (SICD - Patrimoine numérisé - H790-1. This is a digital copy of an old book with colour plates of Redouté's paintings of lilies.

ATLAS de la FLORE MAGIQUE ET ASTROLOGIQUE DE L'ANTIQUITÉ

A French Herbal
Notre choix s'est finalement porté sur les reproductions de végétaux qui accompagnent les Commentaires de Pierre André Matthioli sur le De Materia Medica de Dioscoride, traduits en français par Jean des Moulins, Docteur en médecine et publiés à Lyon en 1572

Herbals

Herbals and the evolution of plant field guides

Showcases - Landmarks in Printing :: Elizabeth Blackwell's 'A Curious Herbal'

Elizabeth Blackwell's A Curious Herbal contains beautiful illustrations of medicinal plants.

Outstanding Botanical Artists - Contemporary 

The University of Delaware: The Art of Botanical Illustration. Women Illustrators

On-line exhibition of The Art of Botanical Illustration

ANN SWAN contemporary botanical art, coloured pencil artist

Ann Swan contemporary botanical art, one of the UKÂ’s leading botanical artists specialising in pencil and coloured pencil drawings.

Botanical Art of Flowers, Plants; Botanical Prints of Colored Pencil Drawings

Botanical Art; Limited Edition of Botanical Art Prints from Raphine Virginia. Colored Pencil Drawings,Botanical Prints,wildflowers,wildflower prints,drawings of Live Flower & Plants by Sharon Morris Kincheloe

Botanical art by Georita Harriott

Fine limited edition botanical art prints by Cambridge based botanical illustrator Georita Harriott, one of the UK's finest botanical artists.

Celia Rosser

Early in her artistic career Celia Rosser began painting the uniquely Australian wildflowers with which she was intimately acquainted. In 1965 her first exhibition at Leveson Gallery in Melbourne included three watercolours of banksias. In 1967
she published her first book Wildflowers of Victoria.

Lorna Minton: botanical artist, watercolour paintings

Lorna Minton Botanical Artist - R.H.S. Gold Medal

Hunt Institute: Margaret Mee

Botanical artist Margaret Mee interview broadcast in November 1988

Hunt Institute: Frederick Andrews Walpole Collection

Botanical artist Frederick Andrews Walpole Collection at Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation.

Hunt Institute: Anne Ophelia Todd Dowden Collection

Botanical artist Anne Ophelia Todd Dowden Collection at Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation.

Catherine Nicholson

Catharine Nicholson specialises in very fine pen-and-ink botanical drawing and has work in the Shirley Sherwood Collection; The Lindley Library; The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation and several private collections. She is a drawing member of the Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society

Peta Stockton - Botanical Artist

Peta Stockton is a botanical artist focusing primarily on South African flora. Peta's botanical art debut was on the 2004 Kirstenbosch Biennale, where she received a Gold Medal and in 2006 she received a Gold Medal at the RHS show in London for her paintings of proteas. Peta has works in the Shirley Sherwood Collection, The Lindley Library, The Kew Royal Botanic Gardens and The Issac Sutton Collectio

Susannah Blaxill - Botanical Artist

Susannah Blaxill botanical art, internationally recognised as a leading artist specialising in watercolour, pencil and charcoal drawings.

Lara Call Gastinger

Lara Call Gastinger, Botanical Art & Illustration. RHS Gold Medal winner for a series on Plants of Virginia

Reinhild Raistrick

Reinhild Raistrick has won RHS four gold medals and provides tuition on botanical painting at Cambrige University Botanical Garden. Reinhild has also published a book "African Violets: In Search of the Wild Violets"

Sherry Mitchell SFCA

Sherry is a watercolour botanical artist, specializing in the native flora of British Columbia, Canada. Her work is included in the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Arbutus - Arbutus menziesii, received 'Best of Show' in the Botanical Artists of Canada fall exhibition 2007.

floraleyes.co.uk - Susan Christopher Coulson, botanical artist

Susan Christopher-Coulson. British botanical artist working in coloured pencils. RHS Gold Medalist.

Coral Guest - Flower Painter

Coral Guest trained in fine art (painting) at Chelsea College of Art, working with abstraction and colour theory, receiving the Drawing Prize in the first year and the Travel Scholarship in the final year. She studied drawing with Norman Blamey and Ken Howard, and, painting with Sean Scully and Ken Kiff. Her work as a flower painter began in 1979 during a succession of field trips to Europe and Japan. The Royal Horticultural Society has awarded her 2 gold medals for her paintings of bulbous plants, in which she specialises.

Peta Stockton - Botanical Artist

Peta's botanical art debut was on the 2004 Kirstenbosch Biennale, where she received a Gold Medal and in 2006 she received a Gold Medal at the RHS show in London for her paintings of proteas.

Peta has works in the Shirley Sherwood Collection, The Lindley Library, The Kew Royal Botanic Gardens and The Issac Sutton Collection.

Bridget Gillespie

In 2002, Bridget Gillespie was awarded a Gold Medal by the Royal Horticultural Society for a series of plum paintings, two of which now reside at the RHS Lindley Library in London.
This is a link to her suite of watercolour paintings of apples Pomona Sequence - Apples of Distinction, created for The Northern Pomona: Apples for Cool Climates.

Kate Nessler - Botanical Art

Kate Nessler has won numerous awards, including three Gold Medals (1990, 1991, 1993) from the Royal Horticultural Society, England. In 1997 she was awarded the Award of Excellence from the American Society of Botanical Artists. Her work is included in the permanent collections of the RHS, the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Pittsburgh PA, The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL, The Shirley Sherwood Collection, England, as well as in numerous public and private collections. She is a contributing member of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden Florilegium, NY, and her work has been selected for inclusion in the Highgrove Florilegium.

Jenny Phillips - Botanical Art School of Melbourne

Jenny Phillips,, a Gold Medallist from The Australian National Print Awards 1998, and The Royal Horticultural Society, London 1993, has focused her drawing, watercolour skills, and love of gardening on botanical art since 1971.

Hemlata Pradhan - Botanicalart.in

Hemlata Pradhan is a gifted Botanical Illustrator, who paints Orchids and other plants and immortalizes them on paper. She is the winner of the Royal Horticultural SocietyÂ’s Gold Medal as well as the 18th world Orchid Conference Gold Medal for her paintings of Indian Jewel Orchids and the Indian Wild Orchids in habitat. Most of her works are housed at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England.

Etchart - Bryan Poole - Botanical Etchings

Bryan Poole RE Contemporary Botanical Aquatint Etchings
His work is in the collections of the Ashmoleum Museum in Oxford, Museum of New Zealand, National gallery of wales, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and Kew

Contemporary Botanical Art - modern watercolour paintings by botanic artist Angeline de Meester

Botanical artist Angeline de Meester Angeline was awarded an RHS Gold medal at her first exhibition, at the RHS Exhibition Halls in London in November 2007.

Bobbi Angell Botanical Illustration

Botanical illustration for books, floras and monographs, notecards, prints, and newspapers.
Bobbi Angell contributes technical pen and ink illustrations of tropical and temperate plants for botanical texts. Working closely with scientists from The New York Botanical Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Harvard University and other academic institutions, she prepares detailed line drawings of species new to science for botanical journals, and illustrates regional floras and monographs.

The Society of Botanical Artists on Day Jobs « ArtPlantae Today

The Society of Botanical Artists on Day Jobs
November 20, 2008 by ArtPlantae

Few people are able to make their living as a botanical artist. Do you make your living as a full-time botanical artist? If not, what's your day job?

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Florilegium: Francesca Anderson

Francesca Anderson is a botanical artist specializing in pen-and-ink drawings. She has had over 20 solo shows and 60 group shows in the United States and abroad. Her work is represented in many international museums and private collections and in numerous botanical books and journal articles. She has received two gold medals from the Royal Horticultural Society, London. Anderson is a trustee of Brooklyn Botanic Garden, founder and president of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Florilegium Society, and a fellow of the Linnean Society.

Outstanding Botanical Printmakers 

Etchart - Bryan Poole - Botanical Etchings

Bryan Poole Contemporary Botanical Aquatint Etchings
a New Zealand born botanical and natural history artist who is also a member of the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers

The McCune Collection: Henry Evans (1918-1990)

Henry Evans began making his botanical prints - using linoprinting - in 1958 and during his career he drew more than 1400 subjects. In 1964, he decided to close the bookstore and to become solely "Henry Evans -Printmaker." His botanical prints became very popular with the public and with museums and galleries. He has had more that 250 one-man shows and his works are in the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, the Albertina in Vienna, the Clark Library at UCLA, the Gleeson Library, and the Bancroft Library.

Digital Botanical Illustration 

Digital Botanical Illustration by Niki Simpson

An introduction to a new style of composite, digital botanical illustration
Digital botanical illustration allows a fascinating close-up view of the plant world and, while scientifically based, it is also full of beauty for all to enjoy. Developed from the long tradition of botanical art, from the early herbals, through lithographs and engravings, to the meticulously hand-painted watercolours of today, this new digital work aims to combine the best of the old with the demands and technologies of the new.

Botanical Art Galleries 

Galleries showing botanical art

Contemporary Botanical Art - Susan Frei Nathan Fine Works on Paper

CONTEMPORARY BOTANICAL ART
SPECIALIZING IN AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN BOTANICAL DRAWINGS AND PAINTINGS
P.O. Box 285 Millburn, NJ 07041
P 973.564.6411 F 973.467.0259

British Contemporary Art Jonathan Cooper, Galley of fine art - including Botanical

British Contemporary Art
Jonathan Cooper,
Galley of fine art,Botanical,Figurative,Photography,Wildlife & Sporting,London Chelsea, works of art from Sotheby's, Christie's, Bonham's, Phillip's and privately

Botanical Gardens and Horticultural Societies in the UK and Europe 

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

I'm a Premier Friend of Kew and can highly recommend the gardens at both Kew and Wakehurst Place in Surrey both as places to visit and gardens which are worth supporting.

Royal Horticultural Society: Gardening Online - Home Page

I'm a member of the RHS and regularly visit their gardens at Wisley in Surrey. Check their website for details of the Chelsea Flower Show

List of botanical gardens - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of botanical gardens From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Chelsea Physic Garden

The Chelsea Physic Garden was founded in 1673, as the Apothecaries' Garden, with the purpose of training apprentices in identifying plants.

National Botanic Garden of Wales : The National Botanic Garden of Wales - Homepage

The National Botanic Garden of Wales has a centre for botanic science.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a world-renowned scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation. The Garden offers educational courses and events for adults and children; and also trains specialists. RBGE has four Gardens, together known as the National Botanic

Logan Botanic Garden - Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

At the south-western tip of Scotland lies Logan, the country's most exotic garden. Warmed by the Gulf Stream, southern hemisphere plants flourish in this plantsman's paradise.

It's an outpost of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE)

Inverewe Garden in the North West Highlands of Scotland

Inverewe Garden in the North West Highlands of Scotland - a unique botanical enterprise growing an amazing range of plants due to the Gulf Stream. I visited when young - and it's simply amazing!

Benmore Botanic Garden - Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

In a magnificent mountainside setting on the Cowal Peninsula lies Benmore, an enchanting Garden steeped in history and surrounded by dramatic scenery. Benmore's 120 acres boast over 300 species of rhododendron; Bhutanese and Chilean plantings and a spectacular avenue of Giant Redwoods.

Dawyck Botanic Garden - Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Dawyck is truly one of the world's finest arboreta.Renowned for its seasonal displays, an abundance of exotic and native plants provides a breathtaking backdrop of colour throughout the year.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens & Glasshouses, in the United Kingdom, are a 15 acre oasis of delight. Designed by J. C. Loudon, a leading garden planner, horticultural journalist and publisher, they opened to subscribers in 1832.

oxford botanic garden | garden introduction

Welcome to the University of Oxford Botanic Garden

Oxford Botanical Garden - Harbourt Arboretum, Oxfordshire

Harcourt arboretum
In addition to a dramatic collection of trees and shrubs the Arboretum is home to a series of themed plants including a fern gully, meadow and a collection of Plants from High Places.

National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens

Founded as a registered charity in 1978 to combine the talents of botanists, horticulturalists and conservationists with the dedication of keen amateur and professional gardeners, the NCCPG's aims are to: encourage the propagation and conservation of endangered garden plants in the British Isles, both species and cultivars; encourage and conduct research into cultivated plants, their origins, their historical and cultural importance and their environments; encourage the education of the public in garden plant conservation.

Making a Mark: Gardens and Botanical Art

Do you draw inspiration from natural forms? Do you like observing everything about plants? If you do you probably like gardens and you may have become interested in botanical art.

.....What I want to do is share what I know about good gardens to visit and I'm very much hoping people with share with me which are the good gardens that they've visited.

BGCI: Botanic Gardens Conservation International

It is estimated that up to 100,000 plants, representing more than one third of all the world's plant species, are currently threatened or face extinction in the wild. BGCI brings together the botanic gardens to work for plant conservation through science, education and horticulture.

Botanical Gardens in Europe 

Parks and Gardens in France

PARKS GARDENS FRANCE, French Gardens, Schools for Horticulture and Landscape Architecture in France, Agricultural schools in France Parks and Gardens of the world, Landscapes-Gardener in France, List of Nurseries-Gardener in France

Palmengarten Frankfurt

The Palmengarten is a trust established by the citizens of Frankfurt in 1868. On 50 acres, the gardens display numerous beautiful and interesting plants throughout the year.

The Palmengarten is known world-wide for its ample collections of tropical plants. With 5000 m2, the Tropicarium is one of the largest complexes of greenhouses. It displays tropical plants including orchids, bromelias, palms, ferns, succulents and many others. These plants are arranged largely according to their natural habitats such as rain forest, mangrove, mountain rain forest, monsoon and trade-wind forest, savannah, thorn forest and different types of vegetation approaching desert.

Botanic Garden - Schönbrunn Palace

The Botanic Garden, a landscape garden laid out in the English style in the 19th century

Botanical Garden, University Vienna

Botanischer Garten der Universität Wien
A-1030 Wien, Rennweg 14
www.botanik.univie.ac.at/hbv/

Botanical Gardens in North America 

The New York Botanical Garden

On 250 acres in the Bronx, the New York Botanical Garden features 50 gardens and plant collections, a landmark conservatory, and 50 acres of the original forest that once covered New York City. Seasonal flower shows, a world-renowned scientific research program, innovative children's gardens etc.

Chicago Botanic Garden

Chicago Botanic Garden has 26 spectacular gardens on 385 acres.

San Francisco Botanical Garden

The San Francisco Botanical Garden is free and open 365 days a year. It has an excellent horticulture library, bookstore, and education programs.

Desert Botanical Garden %uFFFD Papago Park %uFFFD Desert Plants

The Desert Botanical Garden is a unique attraction in Phoenix, Arizona, showcasing 139 rare desert plants, endangered desert plants, and threatened desert plants from around the world and specifically the southwest Sonoran desert.

Botanical Gardens and Arboreta in Canada

Canada has many public and botanical gardens, arboreta and related organizations, dedicated to public appreciation of the world of plants, research and conservation.

The Arboretum of Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden is comprised of a 127 acre botanic garden and historic area supported through the cooperative efforts of the public and private sectors. Our mission of education delivers experiences for our visitors and community to discover, learn and appreciate

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Brooklyn Botanic Garden is one of New York's most magnificent and treasured natural spaces. A tour through BBG, no matter what time of year, will be a rewarding experience, complete with an ever-changing natural palette of color, fragrance, beauty, and design.

Bellevue Botanical Garden, Washington

The Bellevue Botanical Garden, Bellevue, Washington comprises 53 acres of display gardens, woodlands, meadows and wetlands.

Denver Botanic Gardens

Denver Botanic Gardens also has three satellite gardens; all are a mile high.

Missouri Botanical Garden: Events at MBG

Missouri Botanical Garden - 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63110
Founded in 1859, the Missouri Botanical Garden is the nation's oldest botanical garden in continuous operation and a National Historic Landmark. The year 2009 marks the Garden's sesquicentennial anniversary

The Garden is:
- a center for botanical research and science education
- an oasis in the city of St. Louis
- 79 acres of beautiful horticultural display, including a 14-acre Japanese strolling garden
- home to one of the world's largest collections of rare and endangered orchids.

Arnold Arboretum

The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is the oldest public arboretum in North America and one of the world's leading centers for the study of plants. A unique blend of beloved public landscape and respected research institution, we provide and support world-class research, horticulture and education programs that foster the understanding, appreciation and preservation of trees.

The Huntington Library

In 1903 Henry Huntington purchased the San Marino Ranch, a working ranch with citrus groves, nut and fruit orchards, alfalfa crops, a small herd of cows, and poultry. His superintendent, William Hertrich, was instrumental in developing the various plant collections that comprise the foundation of the botanical gardens.

The property-originally nearly 600 acres-today covers 207 acres, of which approximately 120 are landscaped and open to visitors. More than 14,000 different varieties of plants are showcased in more than a dozen principal garden areas. Forty gardeners, a curatorial staff of seven, and more than 100 volunteers maintain the botanical collections, provide interpretive programs for visitors, and propagate plants for special sales.

Botanical Gardens in Australasia and the Pacific Rim 

Directory of Australian Botanic Gardens Home Page

A directory of all botanic gardens and arboreta in Australia, contact information etc.

Australian National Botanic Gardens Home Page

All about the Botanic Gardens, Australian plants, and access to databases on living plants, herbarium specimens and photographs.

Botanic Gardens Trust - Sydney, Australia

The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney are an oasis of 30 hectares in the heart of the city. Wrapped around Farm Cove at the edge of Sydney Harbour, they occupy one of Sydney's most spectacular positions. Established in 1816, it's the oldest scientific institution in Australia and is home to an outstanding collection of plants from Australia and overseas.

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne Australia - conserving Australia's plants for the future.

BGANZ - Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand Inc

BGANZ
* represents the interests of botanic gardens in Australia and New Zealand;
* promotes the interests and activities of Australian and New Zealand botanic gardens and botanic gardens generally, and
* enhances the state of botanic gardens for the benefit of the community.

Botanic Gardens of Adelaide

Botanic Gardens of Adelaide (Adelaide, Mount Lofty and Wittunga) - discover the history, features, and services of the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide which display a diverse range of plants from different climatic regions and ecosystems.

Welcome to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens

Established in 1818, The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is Australia's second oldest botanic garden. It's age and origin during the earliest stages of European settlement combine with Tasmania's unique environment and natural flora to offer an extraordinary experience to the visitor.

Australian Garden History Society

Researching, enjoying and preserving Australia's gardening heritage, horticulture landscape design and architecture.

Botanic gardens - Brisbane City Council

The Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot-tha are Queensland's premier subtropical botanic gardens. These 52 hectare gardens are situated seven kilometres from the city centre.

Botanical Gardens in Africa and Asia 

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

One of the world s leading botanical gardens. Founded in 1913, Kirstenbosch lies on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. It consists of landscaped gardens of indigenous plants and trees, watered by the Liesbeek River, as well as natural forest that extends up the lower slopes. Kirstenbosch covers an area of 828Ha, 60 ha of which are cultivated; the remainder is a natural flora reserve.

Chandigarh Botanical Gardens - Botanical Gardens In Chandigarh India

Chandigarh Botanical gardens are one of the main tourist attraction places of this beautiful city. There are two botanical gardens in Chandigarh, India, one located in the Punjab University and another between the Rock Garden and Sukhna Lake in Sector 1.

Botanical Societies 

These societies are about the botany of flowers and plants

Botanical Society of the British Isles

The Botanical Society of the British Isles is for everyone who is interested in the flora of Britain and Ireland. The society traces its origins back to 1836, when it was founded as the Botanical Society of London. From its earliest days it has welcomed both professional and amateur members, and it remains the biggest and most active organisation devoted to the study of botany in the British Isles.

Botanical Society of the British Isles - Publications

Watsonia is the scientific journal of the BSBI, published twice a year.
Various handbooks plus BSBI News

The Wildflower Society

The Wild Flower Society is the only national society created specifically for amateur botanists and wild flower lovers in the UK. We are a friendly group who like to meet up throughout the summer months to see and photograph British wild plants in their natural habitats. The Society has been running for over a century and proudly boasts a number of very eminent botanists and academics amongst our ranks with at least fourteen members having plants named after them!

The Wildflower Society - List of all British Plants 2007

List of all British Plants 2007

Botany for botanical artists 

ArtPlantae: Home Page

The Home of Practical Botany for Artists

ArtPlantae: Amaryllis Family

The Home of Practical Botany for Artists: Practical introduction to the Amaryllis

Natural History Museum - Botany Library

The Botany Library collection represents the entire modern period of botanical scientific discovery. It contains monographic titles dating from 1475, periodical titles dating from the late 1700s, manuscripts and an outstanding collection of botanical artwork, which is one of the largest in the country.

The literature held gives world subject coverage in floras, plant taxonomy, economic botany, botanical art, history and biography for flowering and non-flowering plants.

Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum, Berlin-Dahlem

The museum specializes in the display of botanical exhibits and is the only one of its kind in Central Europe. It is complementary to the botanic garden since models are highlighting morphological details that are not easily visible on living objects. Highly magnified algae and other cryptogams as well as the flowers, fruits, and seeds of higher plants are shown.

RogersPlants

Roger's Plants Limited has been established to publish electronically a series of illustrated natural history and garden plant information sites covering all the major plant groups, thus creating the largest existing reference work on plants.

This gigantic project is based on more than 25 years work by Roger Phillips and Martyn Rix, the authors of more than 30 illustrated guides to the whole plant flora.

Plantfacts

Welcome to PlantFacts  
PlantFacts has merged several digital collections developed at Ohio State University to become an international knowledge bank and multimedia learning center.

Plant Dictionary - Photos of Ornamental Plants and Pests

Plant Dictionary is an indexed system of teaching resources for the discipline of Horticulture and Crop Science. It was developed to complement the other electronic resources developed at Ohio State University Select an area to search from the links below.  

Welcome to the PLANTS Database | USDA PLANTS

The home page for the United States Department of Agriculture PLANTS Database

Australia's Virtual Herbarium - Plant Names: a basic introduction

One of several Help pages for Australia's Virtual Herbarium
* Scientific Names
- naming the plant
- rules
- type specimens
* Cultivar Names
* Common Names

Fine Gardening - Pronunciation Guide to Botanical Latin

Gardeners often lament that they feel intimidated about pronouncing the Latin names of plants. If you've avoided calling black snakeroot Cimicifuga racemosa because you didn't want to tie your tongue in knots, you're not alone. So Fine Gardening has added an online guide to its website that provides an audio guide to the pronunciation of botanical Latin names - you can listen to the Latin pronunciation of plants as well as read the name

Botanical Art Blogs 

Blogs by Botanical Art Societies or Information Sites

BAGSC News

A Blog from the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California

ArtPlantae Today

ArtPlantae Today is the companion site to ArtPlantae.com and ArtPlantae Books. This blog, the educational website and the bookstore were each created by ArtPlantae LLC, a resource provider specializing in botany and botanical art education whose objective is to encourage an interest in plants and nature through botanical illustration.

Coral Guest - the EXHIBITION DIARY and PAINTER'S JOURNAL of life amongst the flowers

Coral Guest is a gold medal winning botanical artist who works to commission and has a fascinating website

Botanical Art Groups and Forums 

Flickr: Botanical Art & Naturalist Illustration

Photographs associated with the Yahoo Group

Yahoo Group: Botanical Art and Naturalist Illustration

Dedicated to the realistic portrayal and documentation of plants and flowers (the Botanical Arts) and natural science subjects (Naturalist Arts, Wildlife Arts, Scientific Illustration).

Botanical Artistry | botanical art and artists

BotanicalArtistry.com is a resource for botanical artists and lovers of botanical art. It contains information on all kinds of botanical art - painting, illustration and prints. Members can display their art.

Botanical Art Groups Australia

Botanical Art Groups Australia

Pastels and Pencils - Drawings of Flowers and Plants 

Katherine Tyrrell's website

Pastels and Pencils - Fine art drawings & fine art prints of flowers and plants

Fine art drawings and fine art prints of flowers and plants by Katherine Tyrrell - pictures of flowers in coloured pencil, soft pastel and pen and ink

Pastels and Pencils - Fine art drawings of flowers in colour by Katherine Tyrrell

Original fine art drawings of flowers by Katherine Tyrrell - drawings in colour using soft pastels or coloured pencil

Pastels and Pencils - Small Works: Floral and Botanical Drawings by Katherine Tyrrell

Small Works - original fine art drawings of floral and botanical subjects in coloured pencils flowers and plants by Katherine Tyrrell

Pastels and Pencils - Flower drawings and botanical drawings in pen and ink or pencil

Flower drawings and botanical drawings in pen and ink or graphite pencil by artist Katherine Tyrrell. These drawings of flowers or botanical subjects were all drawn from life. These drawings do not involve tracing, copying photos or use of grids.

Pastels and Pencils - Drawings of plants and cacti by Katherine Tyrrell

Drawings of plants and cacti by Katherine Tyrrell. This gallery is about what plants - and in particular cacti and succulents - look like in close-up

Pastels and Pencils - Fine Art Prints of original drawings by Katherine Tyrrell ASGFA

Fine art prints of original art by Katherine Tyrrell, this page links directly to specific fine art print galleries of works by Katherine Tyrrell at Imagekind