Biography
On retirement, after 25 years at the Bournemouth College teaching art and design, I enrolled on a botanical painting course and fell in love with painting nature. I had been a member of the Hilliard Society of Miniature Painters for over 25 years and found the dry brush work technique readily lent itself to botanical painting. I teach part-time on a botanical art course.
I use watercolour on hot pressed paper, Schoellershammer board or vellum; I strive for botanical accuracy and strong compositions in my work. I use sketchbooks for ideas and planning, enjoy researching subjects, discovering their secrets and illustrating them in my art. I am inspired by the life cycle of plants and love painting the details and textures found in nature.
I have exhibited with the SBA in London, Madrid and Palmengarten Frankfurt, the SWA at the Mall Galleries, London; the Hilliard Society, Wells; the Llewellyn Alexander Gallery, London and the South West Society of Botanical Artists. I was awarded the SWSBA Standard of Excellence with Distinction in 2014; I have won the Russell Trophy for Botanical Painting in 2015, 2017 and 2019. In 2016 I was elected a SBA Associate and awarded Fellowship in 2019. I gained a SBA CBM in 2017; in 2018 I won the Sue Bell Award for Miniature Painting and also won a group RHS Silver Medal. I was awarded with a Gold medal at the RHS exhibit in 2021.
Further examples of my work can be seen at www.swsba.org.uk