In Ruskin’s Footsteps – Linking people to plants through botanical art

Click on the image to enlarge it and
find out more about the Exhibition

Good to hear from Sarah Morrish of the Association of British Botanical Artists, whose stand at last year's BSBI Exhibition Meeting proved so popular. Sarah is looking forward to the  Botanical Art Worldwide Exhibition, taking place this year at the Peter Scott Gallery, Lancaster University. 

The Exhibition is called 'In Ruskin’s Footsteps – Linking people to plants through botanical art' and runs from Friday 18th May – Friday 8th June, weekdays only 12-5pm, with Special Event Open Days on Saturday 19th May and Saturday 9th June 10am-4pm

Over to Sarah to tell us a bit more about the Exhibition:

"Our native flora has been depicted using a variety of methods over the centuries, but the one that has been used the longest, is that of art and illustration. Botanical art and illustration is a marriage of art and science and has seen a resurgence in recent years.

Botanical artist Claire Ward in her studio
Image courtesy of C. Ward

"Many botanical artists spend a great deal of time in the field studying our native flora before even putting pencil and brush to paper, indeed some have worked and continue to in the areas of science and conservation.

"One such artist is Claire Ward who illustrates many of this country’s native orchids and other wild plants, lichens and mosses, near to her home in Wales. 

"The main subject in her painting for this exhibition is the Marsh helleborine Epipactis palustris, a plant of damp grassland, which also occurs at several sites in Lancashire. The stems of this orchid are often covered in up to 20 flowers in July and August.

Marsh Helleborine Epipactis palustris
© Claire Ward 2018

"The field notes and illustrations that artists produce are often used to document those plant species that are rare and declining. The depiction of plants and their habitats within this genre can really help to raise awareness of the fragility of the plant kingdom and the habitats that support it.

"To raise this awareness further, the Association of British Botanical Artists (ABBA), are delighted to bring a new major exhibition to the Ruskin Library at Lancaster University from Friday 18th May to Friday 8th June.

"The exhibition itself is part of a worldwide initiative which incorporates the Worldwide Day of Botanical Art on May 18th, a day on which 23 countries will be promoting and exhibiting botanical art focused on the native plant species from each of those countries.

Click on the image to enlarge it
and find out more about the
special event open days

"As well as 40 paintings from some of this country’s top botanical artists at the Ruskin Library, there will also be the opportunity on May 18th, to view a slideshow which will showcase the paintings of native plants from the other countries taking part.

"ABBA and the artists are very honoured that the exhibition will take place at the Peter Scott Gallery in association with the Ruskin Library, where there will also be examples of Ruskin’s work on display alongside the botanical paintings.

"For more information about the exhibition, opening times, artists and paintings please visit the ABBA website or Facebook page."

Many thanks to Sarah for telling us about this exhibition and the Worldwide Day of Botanical Art. We hope to bring you more on this subject in the coming weeks.