STORY BEHIND THE ART OF NATALIA ALATORTSEVA

22nd Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at Marin Art & Garden Center

Butterfly orchid

Psychopsis 'Mariposa'

This Psychopsis mariposa grows in the greenhouses of "Pharmacy Garden" of Moscow State University botanical garden. It impressed me because it has a long stem, is thin and looks like the flower is flying like butterfly. The common name of this plant is butterfly orchid.

This plant has three leaves of different ages, because it is a sympodial epiphytic orchid. The bases of its stems are formed as pseudobulbs and contain nutrients and water for drier periods. The single flower is bright orange and looks like it is fluttering without a strong connection with the leaves. My idea was to show the contrast between tiny mosses and big plane leaves. This gives our sight the opportunity to travel from orchid flower to leaves, to mosses and back again.

The challenge for me was to use as small an amount of wet and dry watercolor as possible on the leaves, but not miss the small details.

I have noticed during the last few years, that significant part of plants I am impressed by and have painted, look in nature like they were specially designed for Art Nouveau. Their parts have clear curved shapes and using those shapes is one of the most important and pleasant things for me when I search a way to create my artwork's composition.

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Read more about this artist’s work: 21st Annual