Botanica Scotia – Botanical Art Worldwide
I’ve been working on a painting of Southerland Kale for the Botanical Art Worldwide show, which has been accepted and will be on display in May in the Custom House Gallery in Leith and then again in July at the V&A Dundee. How exciting is that?
15 – 20 May 2025
The Custom House Gallery
65 – 67 Commercial St, Edinburgh EH6 6JE
1 – 31 July 2025
V&A Dundee
1 Riverside Esplanade, Dundee
The 18th of May is World Botanical Art Day
On the 18th of May Botanica Scotia celebrates World Botanical Art Day with artists from around the world. These botanical artists have come together to create an exhibition that spans the globe through Botanical Art Worldwide.
Our theme salutes biodiversity in the crops that have been closely associated with the human species over thousands of years, specifically; Heritage Crops, Crop Wild Relatives and Ancient Crops. In this age of industrialised and heavily controlled mono-crops, we have an essential need to rebuild crop strength and resilience in yields through diversity, rather than through the huge corporate giants that currently prescribe modern pesticides. Together we highlight some of the native crops, currently only cultivated by smaller specialist growers, to encourage a renewed vision for biodiversity and plant and insect security.
If you know educators and growers, please promote this exhibition to them.
Paintings from around the world will be on display via video, accompanied by physical exhibitions from each participating country.
In Scotland, our exhibition will also be accompanied by work from the Scottish Society of Botanical Artists Annual Show.
More information can be found on the Botanica Scotia Website, or sign up for my newsletter for updates on this exhibition.
My entry – Brassica napus, Sutherland Kale
As with many botanical artists, if you want to paint something you must first source it, and often this entails growing it. I decided to grow Sutherland Kale, I had long admired Lizzy Sanders painting of the same, however there were a few set backs… (set backs are not always a bad thing, but they certainly steer you)
The weather!!! 2024 was the dullest year on our own Carlops records in 30 years (there’s a lovely man in the village who records the light levels). So although I did get some growth, there wasn’t much, I had very small plants, I do wonder if the light levels also affected the pigmentation of the leaves, in better light they might be greener, and bigger…
The predation!!! I had never grown kale before and didn’t account for the predation… and once those eggs are laid… I spent a lot of time picking wee caterpillars off my kale, I now have nets!
The time limitation!!! I was extremely busy last year, so I was very time limited, if I had had more time I would have added a second set of juvenile leaves showing more of the verdant young growth. But I do love what I achieved in the time.
The subject matter!!! I didn’t do my research in time, and I realised that Sutherland kale is a biennial, so I could only get leaves in this first year of growth, no flowers. SO I opted for a leaf painting, I have been exploring a theme of reflection for some time, so I decided to work this into the piece, focusing on the structure and the colours through the older leaves. I have to say I really fell in love with the structure, and the amazing range of colour, and this year, in their second year, I’m watching these structures change and take on new purpose. Taking the time to watch and understand a specimen through its growth period is so satisfying.
