STORY BEHIND THE ART OF KU-MIE KIM

16th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists and the Horticultural Society of New York

Amaryllis

Hippeastrum ‘Rilona’

This potted amaryllis had been bought a few years ago for my mom, who was sick at the time. She was a plant lover and had such a green thumb. She has since passed away, so whenever it blooms, it reminds me of her. Last summer it was outside, had many leaves and its bulb grew quite a bit. And when it bloomed indoors this winter, it looked so healthy and pleasing to my eyes, with gorgeous salmon-colored petals and perfectly balanced young leaves coming out of the dominating bulb in the middle, that I decided to paint it. 

I didn’t have much time to paint because of my professional schedule as an obstetrical anesthesiologist. I painted it whenever I had time, mainly in the evenings and then all night on Friday night! You cannot sleep because you want to keep going. All the excitement – you do not need anything else! 

But when I initially finished the painting, which portrayed the potted plant with only the upper half of the bulb showing above the dirt, I did not like it. It seemed to be missing something. It was then that I decided to dig up the bulb from the dirt to add the roots to the painting. It happened to be three o’clock in the morning when I was doing all that digging and then washing the roots. Once I had painted that amazing root system, I was truly satisfied – this is it.

The plant itself had a natural composition, a reverse triangle shape, which didn’t need to be modified. I loved it as it was. I depicted the entire plant, two flowers attached to the straight, robust stem in the center, which is coming out of its reddish brown skin-covered bulb. There are three blade-shaped green leaves shooting out of the bulb next to the flower stem on the right side and one lower leaf has wilted, curled up and turned brown. Multiple strong roots have developed and spread out from the bottom of the bulb. And there is one new bulb growing out and attached onto the left side of the main bulb. To me, the best part of this painting is the bulb and the roots system. You can feel the power and the potential of this plant from them.

I was so happy with the completed painting that I decided to submit it to the ASBA/HSNY show. I felt honored to be accepted. I have been painting botanical subjects for 12 years now. I choose whatever attracts my eye, trees, seedpods, garden flowers, potted flowers, not necessarily limited to any particular category. I consider that being a doctor enhances my art. Perfectionism in my work is very important and this need for attention to detail carries over to producing the botanical artwork. I want to transmit the very exact image which nature created. Also, through doing this artwork I get to know so many people whom I would not otherwise meet. I am so happy doing it that I tell my family and friends that they should do it too!

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