ESBA 7th Annual Exhibition
Edinburgh Society of Botanical Artists
Saturday 24th to Thursday 29th November 2018
Open 10.am-6.pm, except 29th 10am -2.pm
at 6 Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh
The Edinburgh Society of Botanical Artists (ESBA) will hold its 7th annual exhibition at Dundas Street Gallery, Edinburgh from 24th- 29th November. The exhibition features work by twenty artists, all graduates of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Diploma course in Botanical Illustration. Original paintings, giclee prints, cards and ESBA’s unique annual calendar will be on sale.
For most of us, plants are something that decorate our garden or are glimpsed as a green blur as we speed past. Images of flowers and leaves appear everywhere in our lives, on curtains, clothing, wallpaper, cards, wrapping paper and as national and political symbols. These designs often reduce a flower to its most basic. A daisy becomes a yellow blob surrounded by white loops, a poppy a scarlet splodge with a black centre. Being constantly confronted by these simplistic representations, it is easy to forget how complex and beautiful a real plant is.
Plants, Passion, Paint promises you a visual treat. Seen through the eyes of a botanical artist, plants are perceived in a fresh light. The artist’s precise observations of light, colour and intricate details reminds us that a common leaf is a complex, three dimensional structure, a work of art. Whether it’s a giant oak tree or a tiny seed seen through the microscope, botanical art helps us to see the familiar in new ways and discover details that we had no idea existed. Botanical drawing requires not just looking, but seeing, the ability to focus and capture fine details that are often missed by a casual look. When you leave the exhibition, you will see plants from a new perspective and find yourself turning over leaves to discover for yourself what’s underneath!
ESBA artists are all graduates of the internationally respected Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Diploma course in Botanical Illustration. Many of the artists have exhibited paintings nationally and internationally, won awards and had work selected for publication, such as the recent ‘Scottish Plant Lore’ by Greg Kenicer published by RBGE. Not all graduates come from an arts background. Many have had careers as teachers, architects, physiotherapists, social workers, botanists and film makers. Their backgrounds are as diverse as the plants they paint, but they have one thing in common, a passion to paint and express the complex beauty of plants.
Information about some of the artists’ artwork that will be in the exhibition
*Copyright for each artwork remains with the individual artists who have kindly given permission for their work to be used to promote ESBA’s exhibition 2018.
Pears Pyrus communis watercolour by Nicola Macartney.
Nicola has always had a passion for drawing and painting and graduated with the RBGE Diploma in Botanical Illustration in 2012. She has won numerous awards for her painting at national exhibitions such as RHS and BISCOT. Nicola works mainly in watercolour, using layers of paint to build up colours and details. “I like to draw directly from plants, life size, celebrating the beauty of natural objects in everyday life”. www.nicolamacartney.com
Chinese magnolia Magnolia x soulangeana watercolour by William Phillips
William graduated from the RBGE Diploma course in 2015. He continues to develop a strong and individual watercolour style, focusing on botanical subjects, still life and landscape. Currently, he is leading workshops in botanical drawing at the Birnam Institute. Exhibitions include the RBGE and BISCOT Botanical Images Scotia. His painting Beech Hedge at Meikleour was accepted for the 7th Royal Scottish Watercolour Society Open Summer Exhibition 2018.
Snakeshead fritilleries Fritillaria meleagris watercolour by Karyn Dalrymple
Karyn studied illustration and jewellery at Edinburgh College of Art. After teaching art combined with bringing up her family for more than thirty years, she did the Diploma course in Botanical Illustration at RBGE. “My love of pattern and colour draws me to depicting particular plants, with autumn leaves and seed heads amongst my favourites. I was awarded a Silver medal at BISCOT and a Silver Gilt medal at the Royal Horticultural Society exhibition”.
Pine cone pen and ink by Jenny Haslimeier
Jenny is an award winning botanical artist based in Scotland and New Zealand. Her early career was spent establishing herself as a graphic designer, later specialising in book design. In 2016 she completed the RBGE Diploma in Botanical Illustration and now exhibits regularly in the UK and internationally. Jenny currently splits her time between Edinburgh and Auckland, painting, running botanical illustration workshops and designing and illustrating books. Recent awards include:
Silver-gilt award Native Tree Flowers of New Zealand RHS London 2018
Silver-gilt award Native Tree Flowers of New Zealand BISCOT 2017
Hawthorn berries and poppy seed heads watercolour by Marianne Hazlewood
Marianne graduated with the RBGE Botanical Illustration Diploma in 2016. Her work is a meld of fascination that she feels for her plants, their structure and life cycle, combined with her approach to composition. She specialises in capturing detail and often grows the plants she paints. “Time spent nurturing leads to a deep connection and insight into their growing cycle, bringing life and realism to my paintings and art work”. Marianne has contributed to numerous exhibitions at RBGE and had her first solo exhibition at Pittenweem Arts Festival August 2018. www.mariannehazlewood.co.uk
Double samara, Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus watercolour by Jessica Langford
Jessica’s background is in animation films and graduated with the RBGE Diploma of Botanical Illustration in 2017. “Botanical illustration combines my passion for wild flowers and painting. I especially like drawing using a microscope to reveal intricate structures and details not visible to the naked eye”. This summer she worked with Scottish Natural Heritage on ‘Under the Microscope’ a botanical art project with sixty secondary and primary school children illustrating bog plants, culminating with an outdoor exhibition on Flanders Moss, Stirlingshire.