The personal aspect of colour interpretation

The personal aspect of colour interpretation

Iris. ©Jean Emmons     I was planning to offer more commentary about botanical art colours in my next post, though I was still pondering the topic. But that was before Jean Emmons’s presentation at the ASBA’s 27th Annual Meeting and Conference, Online in October. It...
Why the source of the plant’s colour matters

Why the source of the plant’s colour matters

Different colour interpretations. The source of the plant’s colour matters. There are many reasons why contemporary botanical artists like me do not paint from digital images or photographs. We paint from live specimens. We respect the traditions and the history...
Colour memory is important

Colour memory is important

Some of what you’ll see about botanical art on social media can be misleading or confusing. Most of the time I ignore it. Recently, however, a post about colour crossed a line. It was time to correct a few misconceptions and share some important colour...
Committing to a leaf a day

Committing to a leaf a day

Here’s an idea—particularly if you’re having difficulty finding time to draw and paint—committing to a leaf a day. I’m suggesting a daily regime of sketching at least one leaf a day. While normal daily commitments can rob us of time to paint,...
An artist’s worst nightmare—a painting lost in transit

An artist’s worst nightmare—a painting lost in transit

Every time I hand a painting to a courier I do so with trepidation. This week my trepidation was justified. I shipped my painting for the ASBA’s Abundant Future exhibition with FedEx Express. En route from my home in Chester Basin, Nova Scotia to The New York...