Showing 1–12 of 25 results
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The Shirley Sherwood Collection: Botanical Art Over 30 Years
Artist/Author: Sherwood, Shirley$85.00 Add to cartThis book is a celebration of the Shirley Sherwood Collection of contemporary botanical art, made over a period of 30 years by Dr Shirley Sherwood and considered the most important private collection of its kind in the world. In 2018 the 1,000th painting was added to the collection, a pocket handkerchief tree by Coral Guest. Showcasing the beauty and diversity of the collection, this book features 265 botanical paintings by 144 artists from 36 countries.
The paintings are arranged in chapters by geographical origin of the artists, and each artwork is beautifully reproduced on a single page. Many of the artists are from the British Isles but there are also impressive and varied paintings from Japan, Thailand, Brazil, Australia, Russia, South Africa and the United States. The many ways used to create plant portraits are explored in watercolour, pen and ink, oils, diamond point etching on paper, vellum, glass and canvas. An additional chapter features the thousandth painting by Coral Guest, and how this was initiated and added to the collection. Biographies of all the artists featured are provided at the back of the book.
The Shirley Sherwood Collection is the most important contemporary botanical art collection in the world today, put together by a single, private individual, comprising over a thousand works (1,008) by 303 artists from 36 countries, amassed during 30 years of travel and study. The Shirley Sherwood Gallery at Kew is described as the focus of botanical art worldwide and has shown over 50 exhibitions since its inauguration in 2008 to well over a million visitors.
This book accompanies the exhibition of the same name showing in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery at Kew from November 2019 – March 2020.
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An Artistic Journey Among the Flowers of the Tropical South Pacific: A Collection of Watercolours
Artist/Author: South, Graham R$72.00 Add to cartThis book is a collection watercolours of plants Graham has seen, mainly in gardens, throughout the tropical South Pacific region. Each painting is accompanied by scientific text which aids identification. Included is a summary of flower names, origins and uses.
Fascinated with nature from an early age, Graham as a teenager in Norfolk, U.K. became an avid birdwatcher, and it was then that he met Richard Richardson, who was Britain’s most acclaimed British bird artist at that time. He was inspired watching Richard as he sketched birds in the field and witnessed his uncanny recall of details. Later, drawing played an important role in his University research in botany, and the importance of good illustrations would follow him throughout his career. During a two-year stay in New Zealand in the early seventies Graham met, worked with and was mentored by the late Nancy Adams of the National Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa, when she was New Zealand’s National Botanical Artist. Graham was inspired by Nancy’s brilliant watercolour illustrations of New Zealand’s alpine flora, and New Zealand seaweeds, in which they shared a common interest. He began his painting career when he took up landscape painting in oils in earnest. returning to his then home in Newfoundland, Canada . He continued painting in Newfoundland, specialising in oil paintings of landscapes and of lichens. Since 1989, living in the Pacific Islands and Australia he began painting watercolours of tropical plants; this brought together his fascination with plants and using them as challenging subjects in his work. Graham is a member if the Botanical Art Society of Australia and lives in North Queensland.
All books signed by the author/artist.
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Blooms and Brushstrokes: A Floral History of Australian Art
Artist/Author: Curtin, Penelope, Tansy Curtin$65.00 Add to cartBlooms and Brushstrokes takes you on a unique journey through the history of Australian art, one flower at a time, examining the blooms depicted in still lifes, floral portraits, decorative interiors and botanical illustrations by a long line of Australian artists. Mother-and-daughter team Penelope and Tansy Curtin start this fascinating journey in the late eighteenth century, when the traditions adhering to the Western art canon were transplanted into the newly colonised Australia. They follow it through the rapidly developing artistic styles of the early twentieth century, to the new media of the contemporary period.
These works of art also shine a light on the role and importance of plants and flowers in everyday life. They illustrate changing floral fashions, as well as highlighting flowers in their various forms – cut flowers, pot plants and gardens. And along the way you’ll encounter many of Australia’s most significant artists, including John Glover, Arthur Streeton, Margaret Preston, Grace Cossington Smith, John Brack and Margaret Olley, as well as some of Australia’s most beautiful, and sometimes intriguing, native flora, such as the waratah and Sturt’s desert pea, not to mention perennial garden favourites like roses, sweet peas and daisies.
Spectacular, intimate, engaging and meticulously researched – and full of interesting and quirky facts about the flowers and the artists themselves, Blooms and Brushstrokes is a book for art, flower and history lovers alike.
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Mr Guilfoyle’s Honeymoon: The Gardens of Europe & Great Britain
Artist/Author: Hill, Diana E, Edmée Cudmore (Editors)$45.00 Add to cartExplore the grand gardens and forests of Europe and Britain with esteemed landscape designer William Guilfoyle, as he did with his wife on their honeymoon. The Guilfoyles took their Grand Tour honeymoon in 1890, at the height of William’s reputation as the architect of one of the world’s great botanical masterpieces, Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens. His visits to impressive landscapes-as diverse as Kew Gardens, Versailles and the wild gardens of England-inspired a series of illustrated articles, which were published to great acclaim on his return to Australia.A celebration of William Guilfoyle – botanist, landscape designer, tourist and writer.
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Mr Guilfoyle’s Shakespearian Botany
Artist/Author: Hill, Diana, Edmée Cudmore (Editors)$45.00 Add to cartThe great William Guilfoyle, credited as the architect of Melbourne’s Royal Botanic gardens, was an eminent landscape designer, botanist and writer. Here are his collected writings on the dozens of plants, fruits and flowers William Shakespeare referred to in his plays and poems. Each entry is accompanied by Basilius Besler’s groundbreaking illustrations and delicate watercolours by Jacques le Morgues.
‘What’s in a name? That which we call a Rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.’
William ShakespeareAn extraordinary mix of Shakespearian references, Guilfoyle’s botanical lore, and lush botanical illustrations
Shakespearian Botany is a feast for those who love the bard, gardens and art.
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Mr Guilfoyle’s South Sea Islands Adventure on HMS Challenger
Artist/Author: Hill, Diana E, Edmée Cudmore (Editors)$45.00 Add to cartDiscover the inspiration for the famed redesign of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. It was the young William Guilfoyle’s botanical tour of the South Sea Islands in 1868 that provided his vision for the one of the world’s great public parks.
Share his excitement of discovering and collecting tropical plants, giving the local cannibals a very wide berth and being an eyewitness to an uprising in Fiji. Here is an unprecedented armchair view of the riches of this region by an emerging botanist who would later transform our understanding of garden design.
Mr Guilfoyle’s South Sea Islands Adventure on HMS Challenger is Guilfoyle’s detailed account of the four months he spent exploring Samoa, the Friendly Islands, Fiji, the New Hebrides and New Caledonia. It is the final book of a glorious trilogy- Mr Guilfoyle’s Shakespearian Botany and Mr Guilfoyle’s Honeymoon, The Gardens of Europe & Great Britain – which illuminates the extraordinary genius of William Guilfoyle, botanist, landscape designer, artist and writer.
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How to Draw Flowers & Trees in Simple Steps
Artist/Author: John-Naylor, Denis, Janet Whittle, Penny Brown (Authors)$41.00 Add to cartWhatever their skill level, artists will love the easy approach to flower and tree drawing in this extremely good value book. It contains a wonderful selection of flowers and trees and each drawing begins with amazingly simple shapes that can then be built up to create beautiful finished pictures. Helpful two colour instruction guarantees good results and the simplicity of the teaching method makes the learning process fun and effective. Observation is an important part of the drawing process, and How to Draw Flowers & Trees is a wonderful resource for anyone wanting to understand the structure of flowers and trees, and all those who are keen to develop their confidence and techniques. Artists will discover much to excite and inspire them with this inspirational guide.
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Botanical Drawing: A Step-by-Step Guide to Drawing Flowers, Vegetables, Fruit and Other Plant Life
Artist/Author: Brown, Penny$39.00 Add to cartBotanical Drawing provides a thorough and expert guide to the subject of botanical drawing, through detailed text, examples of the authors own studies, short exercises and larger projects. Penny Brown produces traditional botanical drawings primarily rendered in pencil.
The book touches on the history of botanical drawing, the rules and practicalities, and includes an accessible, basic study of botany for the absolute beginner. From creating an initial line drawing to adding tone and then creating more complex compositions, Botanical Drawing is a detailed study of the practice for anyone wishing to explore the subject in great depth, led by an expert artist.
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Joseph Banks’ Florilegium: Botanical Treasures from Cook’s First Voyage
Artist/Author: Gooding, Mel, David J Mabberley (Authors)$120.00 Add to cartJoseph Banks accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage round the world from 1768 to 1771. A gifted and wealthy young naturalist, Banks collected exotic flora from Madeira, Brazil, Tierra del Fuego, the Society Islands, New Zealand, Australia and Java, bringing back over 1300 species that had never been seen or studied by Europeans. On his return, Banks commissioned over 700 superlative engravings between 1772 and 1784. Known collectively as Banks’ Florilegium, they are some of the most precise and exquisite examples of botanical illustration ever created.
The Florilegium was never published in Banks’ lifetime, and it was not until 1990 that a complete set in colour was issued in a boxed edition (limited to 100 copies) under the direction of the British Museum (Natural History). It is from these prints that the present selection is made, directed by David Mabberley, who has provided expert botanical commentaries, with additional texts by art historian Mel Gooding, setting the works in context as a perfect conjunction of nature, science and art. An afterword by Joseph Studholme describes the history of the modern printing.
Winner of the 2017 ABC James A. Duke Excellence in Botanical Literature Award
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Beginner’s Guide to Botanical Flower Painting
Artist/Author: Lakin, Michael$37.00 Add to cartClean, fresh and precise botanical artwork is within your grasp, with Mick Lakin’s clear and simple approach. This complete guide to the crisp, precise finish of botanical painting marries traditional technique with contemporary style and includes sections on colour, drawing, continuous tone, composition and dissection. Michael Lakin makes botanical art approachable with simple exercises and a variety of step-by-step instructional approaches, making this a fantastic guide for aspirational beginners.
Michael Lakin was born and bred in South Derbyshire, UK. His early learning was basic but he always excelled in art. After leaving school he moved into engineering, becoming a manager, before he left to start his own business. Michael kept up art as a hobby and began to teach classes in Botanical Art to adults at Derby WAEA. Since then he has exhibited in London and other parts of the UK. He has a purpose-built studio next to his rural home, where he teaches and gives demonstrations throughout the year.
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The Florilegium: The Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney: Celebrating 200 Years
Artist/Author: Morris, Colleen, Louisa Murray, Brett Summerell (Preface By), Shirley Sherwood(Foreword By), Beverly Allen (Introduction By)$49.00 Add to cartA quality production with full-page illustrations of 87 historically significant plants in Sydney’s three botanical gardens. 64 leading botanical artists contributed to this wonderful collection. The majority are Australian with 23 international artists also contributing. Almost all of the artists are represented in the major public and private collections around the world and have been awarded medals. The artists donated their work to the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust to create this contemporary florilegium. A florilegium is a collection of paintings of plants from a particular garden or place. The paintings have been exhibited at the Museum of Sydney in 2016 and in 2018, the exhibition travelled to the Shirley Sherwood Gallery in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: a measure of its quality. 87 plants were chosen for their botanical and historical significance. Most have been painted life size, and then reduced by about half for reproduction in the book. The variety of contemporary styles represent individual artistic responses to the plants, while always retaining botanical accuracy. The foreword is by Dr Shirley Sherwood OBE, the foremost collector of botanical art; with an introductory essay by Beverly Allen, and historic overview by Colleen Morris is followed by text for each plant’s fascinating historic and cultural significance and a botanic description by Louisa Murray. Artist biographies are included. The book is an attractive contemporary design, printed on quality matt art paper (low gloss), allowing accurate reproduction of the colours. Careful quality control through the production process has ensured this. Text is on the left-hand page of each spread, with the artwork generally on the right, sometimes spreading over both pages.
All profits from sales of the book will go towards conservation of books and artwork held at the Gardens. The artists have donated their work to the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust.
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Into the Orchid House: In Search of Beauty
Artist/Author: Breeden, Stanley, Kaisa Breeden and Bruce Gray$45.00 Add to cartHigh on the hills of the Atherton Tablelands in far north Queensland stands a glasshouse built by orchid expert Bruce Gray. Whether from the cloud forests of South America, the Himalayan Mountains of India, the mangroves of the Philippines, the rocky outcrops of Madagascar or the dense rainforests of New Guinea, tropical species thrive here.
Award-winning photographers Stanley and Kaisa Breeden capture the plants in rich, detailed images. Specialising in macro photography using natural light, the Breedens produce masterful floral portraits, exquisite in detail and colour. Step into the orchid house to discover this extraordinary and diverse world.
