A new botanical art blog and two botanical art shows

Three announcements for botanical artists relating to:

1. the Botanical and Floral Art Exhibition at Bloom in Dublin, Ireland
2. The Botanical Images Scotia (BISCOT) Exhibition in Edinburgh, Scotland
3. my new website Botanical Art and Artists now has a News blog

Botanical and Floral Art Exhibition at Bloom 

GOLD MEDAL: 'Fresh dates, Phoenix dactylifera'
 © Shevaun Doherty 2013

In Dublin, the 3rd Annual  Botanical & Floral Art in Bloom Exhibition opened today and continues until Monday 1st June at Bloom, at the Visitor's Centre in Phoenix Park. It's in the middle of what is a major event in the Irish horticultural calendar

53 paintings have now been judged and I do know that my friend, the Irish Botanical Artist Shevaun Doherty, has won

• a Gold Medal for 'Fresh dates, Phoenix dactylifera'
• a Silver Medal for 'Horse chestnut triptych (Aesculus hippocastanum)' - three small paintings on natural calf vellum

It's always a pleasure to hear about the success of friends - but even more so when it's an artist who started out on their path to success as a result of this blog! (see Why be an art blogger?) :)

Entries for the 4th Annual Exhibition of Botanical and Floral Art will open for 2016 in the near future. For those interested in entering Bloom next year here's what you need to know:

• the exhibition is open to all artists - both Irish and international artists
• all work submitted must be original paintings, drawings or fine art prints - using watercolour, gouache, ink, or coloured pencils
• artists can submit up to three works
• there are restrictions on the size of work which can be exhibited
• all work must be for sale and the commission on sales is 20%
• the deadline for submissions is early March each year

Botanical Images Scotia (BISCOT) Exhibition

BISCOT is a botanical painting and illustration exhibition held annually at Gardening Scotland and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. It is a competitive exhibition that aims to show and encourage excellence in botanical painting and illustration.

In Edinburgh, the Botanical Images Scotia (BISCOT) Exhibition opens tomorrow. This exhibition is is the Scottish equivalent of the RHS Botanical Art Show

You can see it

• at the Gardening Scotland Show at the Royal Highland Show ground at Ingliston, beside Edinburgh Airport from tomorrow until Sunday 31st May.
• afterwards at the Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway Building, at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. After the rehang, the exhibition opens on Wednesday 3rd June and continues until Thursday 18th June (10am - 5pm)

Admission is FREE (to all those aged 8+).

I'll be posting details of the medal winners when I can get hold of the list.

In the meantime, it's worth noting that a Gold Medal at last year's BISCOT was won by one of my favourite Australian Botanical Artists - Annie Hughes. These are the artists who won Medals for Botanical Illustration at BISCOT 2014

Gold Medal

• Annie Hughes (Australia)

Silver Gilt Medal

• Eleanor Christopher 
• Sansanee Deekrajang (Thailand)

Silver Medal

• Geoffrey Brown
• Marianne Hazlewood
• Nichola McCourty

Bronze Medal

• Pria Graves ASBA (USA)

If you are interested in exhibiting next year, you can find out what you need to know on the Call for Entries page on the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society website

Botanical Art and Artists - News Blog

The Banner from my new Botanical Art News Blog

I've introduced a News Blog on my new website Botanical Art and Artists so I can provide updates about:

• any significant changes to the website as the site continues to develop
• news of any relevant open exhibition or art competition - around the world
• news about any botanical art exhibitions that botanical art organisations or artists may be holding
• any news about botanical artists or botanical art organisations (e.g. medals won etc)
• any interesting blog posts they may have written (e.g. about tips for botanical artists).

Blog posts about exhibitions I visit will continue on this blog because this is where the archive is of my extensive coverage to date of the SBA Exhibitions and the RHS Botanical Art Exhibitions

If any botanical artists have any significant news (e.g. won an award or exhibiting botanical artwork at solo or group botanical art exhibitions) you can contact me with summary details via the website's "news for the news blog" contact form.