STORY BEHIND THE ART OF LIZ SHIPPAM

20th Annual International 

American Society of Botanical Artists & The Horticultural Society of New York

Merryweather Damsons

Quercus rubra

When choosing a subject to paint, colour is probably what attracts me the most. These damsons caught my eye because I love the effect of the gorgeous rich colours softened by the powdery bloom. The surface of the fruit is so smooth and perfect, as it has never been handled. I love the abundance of fruit on a single branch, ripe and delicious.

Painting fruit with bloom is what I love the most and it suits my method - I use a dry brush, building up layers of paint, and for a subject like these damsons there are subtle flecks of different colours which I work in to each layer.

But I also choose them because I have a 'soft spot' for plums and damsons. The orchard where I saw the first plums I painted was pulled up last year, and now all those wonderful fruit trees are gone. Part of our heritage and wonderful for biodiversity, traditional British orchards are on the decline. I plan to seek out and paint more varieties in the future, to share my fondness for them!

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Read more about this artist’s work: 19th Annual International