STORY BEHIND THE ART OF JEANNE REINER

23rd Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at Wave Hill

Oakleaf Hydrangea nearing the end

Hydrangea quercifolia

On a damp day at the end of September I was running past a lineup of Oakleaf Hydrangeas planted alongside the parking lot at NYBG. With my head down to avoid the rain, I was suddenly smacked in the chest with an enormous soggy leaf. Without any thought to what I was doing nor even slowing my pace I tore it from its branch and said out loud, “You’re going to be my next subject.” With that I threw it in my trunk and headed out.

It was only when I arrived home and could admire the accosting thing that I realized how perfectly this leaf fit into the criteria I look for in a subject: scale, brilliant colors, decay and ludicrous amounts of detail. These qualities piqued my interest and were necessary as I knew I would be spending many valuable hours working on its likeness.

This particular leaf seemed to be a living embodiment of fire. The colors radiated from the stem in hot yellow, then to orange, then to alizarin crimson. Continually changing, the hues darkened across the undulating topography until it reached the far ends which appeared to be blackened like burned out bits of remaining architecture.

This piece always reminds me of that cool, damp fall day when I wasn’t paying attention and I was forced by the subject to “Look at me!”

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