A New Leaf - an exhibition by Amicus Botanicus

This evening I attended ‘A New Leaf’ - an exhibition of contemporary botanical paintings by Amicus Botanicus.  I can recommend it for all those who love botanical art - and those aspiring to become botanical artists.

The exhibitions is at The Gallery, 54 Shepherd Market in Mayfair from Monday 14th – Sunday 20th May 2012 so if you want to see it you need to be quick.  It's open from 10am to 8pm each day.

Private View of A New LeafAmicus Botanicus at The Gallery in Shepherd's Market

Amicus Botanicus is a talented group of botanical artists from the UK, Japan, Singapore and the USA who are all graduates of the English Gardening School’s Diploma Course in Botanical Painting.  It's another example of artists creating groups to organise and exhibit their work (eg Art of the Real).

It's good to see yet another group of talented artists promoting their botanical art in gallery exhibitions.  The work was of a high standard and the PV was very busy.  I spotted the red dots arriving before I left.

This is their third exhibition.  They've also held exhibitions in:

• 2008 - “Plants for Life” - which focused on plants which are used to treat cancer
• 2010 - “A Brush with Nature”

Below are some images from the exhibition plus some notes from a few of the artists who I had a chat with.

Botanical Artwork by Carolyn Jenkins

Carolyn Jenkins - I first met Carolyn at the RHS Botanical Art Show in the Lindley Hall - where she'd won a Gold Medal and Best Exhibit in Show - see RHS Botanical Art Show & Five Gold Medal Winners.  Do take a look at more of Carolyn's work on her website - it zapped me from across the gallery yet again!  I very much like her style.  Her compositions intrigue my eye and Carolyn told me that she spends a lot of time working out the compositions.  She also uses only transparent watercolour (like Fiona Strickland) and it's clear from her artwork and talking to her that her artwork comprises many layers of paint.  It's looking just as good thus time around.

Magnolia Leaf by Linda Compton McDonald

Linda Compton McDonald - I particularly liked two of Linda's works - her painting of a primula and a dry and dessicated magnolia leaf - which was centre stage in the window.

Saracenia pupuera (Purple Picher Planu
by Elain Searle

Elaine Searle - I really liked Elaine's style of painting in watercolour.  The subjects of her paintings are almost translucent and ethereal.  

English Florists' Feathers - tulips by Louise Young

Louise Young's paintings of tulips were framed really well and it was good to see some really old fashioned tulips.  Louse noted how helpful the Wakefield and the North of England Tulip Society had been in keeping her supplied with examples of the old fashioned tulips she wanted to paint.  Louise's paintings are painted on Vellum (from Cowley's in Oxford) and she told me that the reason paintings on vellum look so good is because all the colour sits on the service.

A wall of small studies

Other exhibiting members are listed below with links to their websites or their profile page on the Amicus Botanicus website.  Most were exhibiting between 4-6 works

• Christine Battle 
• Pearl Bostock
• Jeanne Debons ASBA (USA) - a very gracious lady over from the USA for the exhibition
• Bindy Kent
• Anna Lu
• Gillian Payne
• Sally Pond  If you can't get to London, Sally's work is also on display at the 'Botanical Life' show, running at Life - The Gallery, Farnham, until 20 May 2012.
• Shirley Slocock
• Mary-Ellen Taylor
• Erico Tosaki

Thanks also to - Lyn Sykes who told me a bit about the history of the group and its previous exhibitions and to Louise Young for arranging for me to be invited to the PV.

The exhibition was opened by Tony Kirkham, Head of the Arboretum at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew who reminded us all that the early Directors at Kew placed a very great emphasis on botanical art as a way of recording plants as they lived.

You can see more about the artists on the website: www.amicusbotanicus.com to see the work of individual artists.