Painter's diary

This tulip was in a collection of tulips I planted last November.

A new venture in pen and ink following a 2 day course with Gaynor Dickeson in Bosham in November. These cones are Wellingtonia (left) and Scots Pine (right)

A challenging painting of a yellow lily painted over the last 2 weeks.

As Autumn approaches I am posting a painting on vellum from last autumn of crab apples. The vellum makes the watercolours look more luminous than on paper. It is necessary to build up the layers of paint gradually to create the density of colour so it is a slow process. Vellum is becoming more popular among botanical artists because of the fine detail that can be achieved on this surface.

In July I attended a day at Wisley painting insects with Cath Hodsman who is a renouned artist specialising in insects.

I chose to paint a hoverfly. When it was finished I mounted it on to Lokta paper which gives it a natural background. Lokta paper is handmade in Nepal and is made from the inner bark of lokta bushes found in himalayan forests.

Next week I will be exhibiting the 3 paintings plus some others at the event below:

Arts Network Sutton

The 65th Open Art Exhibition

4th May – 16th May

Europa Gallery, Sutton Library, Sutton

The paintings will include those shown below.

Much excitement today as two of my pictures are accepted for the Society of Botanical Artists exhibition which runs from 15th-23rd April at Central Hall, Westminster.

They are the Bhutan Pine and the Late Autumn Rosehips pictured below.

Update 28 April :This pine cone was sold at the SBA exhibition.

Just for interest this shows the detail in the stem more clearly.