STORY BEHIND THE ART OF LUCY MARTIN
22nd Annual International
American Society of Botanical Artists at Marin Art & Garden Center
Small Oak Branch with Lichens
Xanthoria parietina, Ramalina leptocarpha, Teloschistes chrysophthalmus, Flavopunctelia flaventior, Ramalina menziesii
Most of my artwork shows the species I’m focusing on in its natural environment. For example, I show mushrooms or lichen on the forest floor, surrounded by leaves, moss, bark, fir cones and so on. In the background there is a fallen log, covered with moss, or an old burned stump. In the further background there may be a glimpse of the forest itself. This is in contrast to the tradition of botanical art in which a specimen is shown isolated on a white background. I paint to create a sense of place, and atmosphere, a world—a world I may inhabit in my imagination.
A few years ago I began to make more paintings of lichens. As I searched for them, I was often delighted to find many different lichens living close together. I could find a whole tiny world on a branch or rock or fallen tree trunk. There is a huge variety of form and color in lichens: brilliant red, purple, black, every shade of yellow, gold and green. Most are small, and their intricate and fantastic structures generously repay a close look. I am always thrilled to discover something new, strange, and marvelous.
Lichen is a fascinating life form. It is not a plant, but a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, generally algae or cyanobacteria. There is actually a debate among lichenologists about whether the relationship is truly symbiotic, or rather one of controlled parasitism. It’s possible the fungus, which provides the structure for the organism, “enslaves” the photobiont, to feed from its photosynthesis.
Lichen has some interesting practical uses. It is very sensitive to air pollution. Lichen surveys are used to track levels of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide and other compounds. Some lichens have medicinal uses, some are used for dyes or in the making of perfumes. They are important sources of food for a number of animals, including deer, moose, elk, squirrels, mice and bats.
Lichen is an often overlooked life form — so many of my hiking partners have commented to me, “I never noticed lichen before, and now I see it everywhere!” This quality of being obscure and unnoticed, yet truly beautiful and fascinating, draws me in. The sense of discovering something I didn’t know about before is one of the strongest lures for me to create a painting. And I believe that a true love for nature is one of the things that will help us to make the changes we need to make to save our planet.
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Read more about this artist’s work: 21st Annual