Story behind the art of Donnett Vanek
26th Annual International
American Society of Botanical Artists and Marin Art and Garden Center
Peritoma arborea
Peritoma arborea
California is an ideal place for a botanical artist to live. If your area of interest is native plants, as mine is, an abundance of plants exists from which to choose as subjects.
California is one of 36 biodiversity hotspots worldwide. One-third of its native plants are found nowhere else. California has 6,500 native plants, more than any of the other states. California has 2,428 rare plants. Of those rare native plants, 1,355 grow only in California. The great bristlecone pines (Pinus longaeva) are the oldest plants in California and are considered the oldest trees in the world. The most famous California native plant is the General Sherman tree, a giant sequoia tree (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Measured by volume, the General Sherman tree is the world's largest tree.
With all the unique and diverse native plants in California, why did I choose the bladderpod plant, Peritoma arborea, for this rendering? This interesting plant caught my eye when I visited the Wind Wolves Preserve, which is not too far from my studio. Walking along the trails, I noticed a shrubby plant covered in bright yellow graceful flowers. Distinct globular pods dangled from withered flowers. I was intrigued. I knew this plant would be included on my ever-growing list of California native plants to illustrate.
When I returned to my studio, I began researching this unique plant. Peritoma arborea is in the spiderflower family (Cleomaceae). The plant has many interesting characteristics. One of the most debated is bladderpod’s scent. Some people think it has a pungent smell. Others claim the plant has a savory fragrance of onions or bell peppers. I belong to the group that finds the scent savory and pleasant. This plant is a good choice for California gardeners to include in their native plant gardens. It is drought tolerant, fire retardant, and attracts many pollinators.
The Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California (BAGSC) invited me to be one of three contributing artists to its annual Day of Botanical Art 2023. The theme was Edible California Native Plants. Each artist would choose a plant and technique for discussion. I knew which plant I would use for my talk to the Day of Botanical Art participants. It would be Peritoma arborea. Not only does this plant have the characteristics I have already described, but it is also edible! The flowers are cooked for hours to remove bitterness, and then sautéed with onions and put in a tortilla, like a taco. The seeds are also edible. Cooking them is recommended to bring out the sweetness and remove glucocapparin, which is a naturally occurring irritant in some plants.
I love scientific botanical illustrations that combine line drawings and watercolor in a single rendering. These illustrations have inspired my contemporary botanical artwork of Peritoma arborea. My topic for The Day of Botanical Art 2023 was “Peritoma arborea, bladderpod: Techniques of a graphite and drybrush watercolor composition.” In preparation for each workshop I teach, I take the time to evaluate my artistic process, including my techniques and color choices. I then strive to explain these techniques clearly, even to those who may be new to this type of art.
In this piece, Peritoma arborea, I utilized two mediums. Using the mediums of graphite and drybrush watercolor enabled me to emphasize the part of the plant relevant to the theme of the Day of Botanical Art 2023, edible California native plants.
In this composition, I illustrated leaves and some pods in graphite, moving them to the background. I used the drybrush watercolor technique to highlight the flowers and some of the pods. I am informing my viewer that this is where I want their focus. This is the edible part of Peritoma arborea. The background graphite drawing continually moves the viewer's eye around the composition and back to the focal point of the flowers and pods portrayed in drybrush watercolor.
I am fascinated by the details and intricacies of each of my subjects. The techniques I use with graphite or drybrush watercolor enable me to explore these details and represent what I think of as portraits of California native plants. I observe nature through art, encouraging people to consider the essential role that native plants play in our landscape.
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