Mother & Child 
Pomegranate No.4 
Pomegranate Flowers Biography
Since finishing separate courses in both Dance and Natural History Illustration I have consistently painted, producing both commercial illustrations and private commissions. I have combined this with my work as an independent Pilates teacher. A perfect antidote to spending many hours sat at my desk.
I live in a rural area of south Portugal. Living and walking daily in a natural landscape, abundant with so many different trees and plants at assorted stages of seasonal development, provoked important changes in my ways of observation helping me choose what I paint. Such close access to the seasonal evolution from bud to decay has concentrated my focus and visual response. This has brought about 3 different series of work, the Pomegranates, Strelitzias & Magnolia Grandiflora. I find particular interest & beauty in a plant as it decays and becomes sculptural in appearance. As an artist, I’m challenged to find subtle colour changes within the subject. This involves a lot of intense observation to describe colour & detail.
A respected botanist friend encouraged me to submit my work to the RHS in 2019 and I was accepted to exhibit. From May 2019 to January 2020 I completed a set of 6 paintings illustrating the transformation of fruit from a single branch of a Pomegranate tree. This series of paintings was exhibited in 2021 at Saatchi Gallery in London & was awarded a Gold Medal. I was honoured to be awarded an SBA Fellowship in 2019. A real sense of achievement to be included within a society of so many artists who have inspired me throughout my botanical art journey. I’ve learned so much exploring different techniques used by other botanical artists and have incorporated and absorbed many new discoveries into my work. I continue to evolve, learn and grow as a botanical artist.
Exhibitions & Awards:
2023-Artlink Collective Galeria Espectro, Portugal
2022-Artlink Collective Vale D’el Rei, Portugal
2022-Plantae Society of Botanical Artists, Mall Galleries, London
2022-Abril Traz Novas Cores
2021- Awarded a Royal Horticultural Society Gold Medal
2021- RHS Botanical Art & Photography Show at Saatchi Gallery
2021- “Plantae” Society of Botanical Artists
2021-“Purely Botanical? II” The Association of British Botanical Artists
2021-Abril Traz Novas Cores Escola de Artes de Lagoa
2020-“Purely Botanical” with The Association of British Botanical Artists
2020- Awarded “The Great Art Award” at the SWA exhibition.
2020-The Society of Women Artists 159th Annual Open Exhibition-online
2020- “Plantae” online exhibition with the Society of Botanical Artists
2019- I was awarded a place to exhibit with the Royal Horticultural Society.
2019-“Plantae” with the Society of Botanical Artists, Mall Galleries, London
2017- “Changing Seasons” with the Society of Botanical Artists, Westminster Central Halls, London
Email: tonidade@yahoo.co.uk
Website: www.toni-maria-design.com
Instagram: @tonimariald