Ever since coming across Beatrix Potter's watercolour paintings of botanical subjects at the Victorian Arts Centre sometime in the late 1980's I have been a fan of botanical art. I loved the soft sepia tones of Beatrix's paintings, the scientific compositions, and her ability to paint in detail a variety of subject matter - from the little bits of nature found outside her front door, through to her more detailed and scientifically accurate commissioned subjects. The apple painting shown here was painted by Beatrix when she was just 14 years old.
Botanical painting is something I have dabbled in here and there since finishing Uni, but for the last year I have attended classes at the Royal Melbourne Botanical Gardens, and have loved every minute of it. It is a slow learning curve, but a very relaxing one - I find it as satisfying as a yoga class! Here is a not quite finished study of a Beurre Bosc pear. I don't seem to be able to finish anything in class - one day Mum will receive her promised painting....one day.....
And on the left hand side is a corner of one of my all time favourite textile designs by Manuel Canovas: in-keeping with the green / botanical theme of this post!
No comments:
Post a Comment