What is your personal view of the artwork, for instance in terms of media, colors, composition?
The two works are both watercolour on vellum, and both were painted from plants in my garden. As they are both small works, they are simply 'portraits' of the flowers themselves, rather than complete botanical studies.
Why did you choose this subject to portray?
Subjects tend to choose me and these were no exception.
The 'Magnolia x soulangiana' had been a gift from my Mother some 25 years ago, and for the last 5 years had been ravaged by possums. The tree was almost destroyed by them (they eat all the new leaves and buds, every night) and had not flowered for years. These were on a very low branch, and managed to flower just before I left the home. They simply had to be painted.
The 'Stanhopea tigrina' (Upside down orchid) was the first plant to flower in my new home. It was able to move with me as it is planted in a hanging basket, to enable the flowers to appear. 'Upside-down orchid' – so named because the flowers descend below the bulbs and roots, while the leaves grow upwards in the normal way. It has the most delicious heady scent, and lasts just a couple of days.
How does this work relate to your body of work?
I have been working on vellum for two years. I love the richness of colour, as you can layer pigment on pigment, there is a 'glow' that is only possible with this translucent and ancient material.
It also means that I am working on smaller pieces than is usual in my body of work. My inspiration comes from the plants that confront, or parade themselves in front of me and seduce!
Consequently I have painted a diverse range of subjects, often large and dramatic, and frequently unusual or rare. Sometimes they have become 'unfashionable' in current garden trends but retain a nostalgia for serious gardeners and plantspeople.
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