Gill Cann

Biography

Gill’s interest in plants and all things green started in her early childhood in Devon.

This led her to take a degree in Botany and to do research in the Blood Transfusion service in Bristol.

After marriage, children and teaching infants for 18 years her passion for plants was revived. Having had no formal art training she took up botanical painting through adult education classes. She obtained a distinction in the Society of Botanical Artist’s Distance Learning Course in 2009 and became a member of Society of Botanical Artists in 2015. Further courses in watercolour and coloured pencil followed.

She works in both watercolour and coloured pencil and takes her inspiration from her garden, her allotment and the surrounding countryside.  She is fascinated by the patterns to be found in seeds and seed heads and botanical painting enables her to examine and record accurately the detail that so appeals to her.  She exhibits regularly with the SBA and the Society of Floral Painters and takes part in Surrey Open Studios every year. She obtained a Certificate of Merit with the S.B.A. in 2013.

With friends, she set up the North Downs Botanical Painters that meet twice a month.

Her paintings can be found in many private collections and have been accepted by Kew in connection with plants associated in the restoration of mining sites.