Marianne North: Botanical Artist & Exceptional Victorian

 It seems that Spring is really busting out all over - most especially here in the PNW. It's definitely a time of celebration as daffodils, crocus and snowdrops are all poking out of the ground as a wonderful welcome to the season. 

 

It seems a perfect time to share an artist, who did so much for all botanical life. Marianne North, (1830-1890) was a prolific biologist and botanical artist in the Victorian Era. Unlike what was expected to be the life of a woman during that era, North took a different direction.

 

In fact, North not only traveled solo, but also studied plants all over the world. She described everything from the Redwoods of California to the Borneo pitcher plants. She was determined to paint as many plants in the world as she could.

 

 

Her inspiration for traveling, describing and painting as much 

 as she could was inspired by her visits to Royal Botanical Kew Gardens - located in London and home of trees and flowers from around the world. Here again, her direction separated her from the artists of the era.

 

 Whereas, it was the style to paint flora in watercolors with a light background to show the flowers as natural as possible. North chose to paint with oils in order to increase vibrancy and impact. She also preferred to create the background in which these flora were living. It was considered a bold and bright style not seen before.

 

 

Along her travels, she discovered flora unknown at the time. She kept careful notes to advance botanical science. Today, the Marianne North Gallery at Kew Gardens contains 800 of her paintings!

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Osborne Jones: Flora Teacher, Painter, Print Maker

Hard to believe, but very much in keeping with Pacific Northwest weather, we had a terrible ice storm. (aka "Icepocalypse") For about one week, it was too risky to drive or walk. The silence from children indoors and cars parked were almost eerie. 

 

A week later, our warmth is such that early Spring flowers are blooming. So far, Daphnes, Jonquils, and Daffodils have all poked out.Yet, much of the country remains in the throes of winter. 

 

 

For all, let's celebrate an early Spring with an master artist of flora. The artist is Paul Osborne Jones (1921-1998) of Australia - a country presently in the middle of Summer.

 

 

Jones was an art teacher, painter and print maker. He studied at both technical and art schools. After completing his schooling, he worked as a commercial artist for a department store until 1941 when he enlisted to fight in WW2. Part of his service time was spent in New Guinea, which was inspirational to Jones, who loved painting flora.

It was in an exhibition of his flower paintings that he caught the eye of a botanist, who hired Jones to illustrate two books. In the 1970s, he would author his own two books: Flora Superba and Flora Magnifica. 

 

He also worked for the UN, as a forest and forestry planner. For all his kudos, he would be granted the OBE for his services to art. Well done, Master Jones! (Please note: His use of negative space is quite good)

 

 

 

Rachel Newling: Linocuts of Aussie Birds & Flora

 Until I took a few classes in art printing, I didn't realize how much more involved it is than painting. Now, I have an understanding and appreciation for those artists who have mastered the processes. Such an artist is Rachel Newling (1956-). 

 

 

Newling was born and studied art in the UK. It was while visiting Australia, that she decided to move to Sydney. It was a fortuitous decision because she finds endless inspiration in the birds and flora of her chosen home. 

 

 

Her linocut technique is to draw on the board and carve the design much the same way as in woodcuts. Printing is a matter of placing handmade Washi paper over the inked linocut, and by using a baren, she carefully rubs the design onto the paper. Printing in this manner is more time consuming and tedious, but the results can be more satisfying than running through a mechanical printing press.

 

 Once the print is removed and dry, she hand colors each one in the series run using archival gouache paints. Hence, each has a slight variation in coloration.

 

Newling's art is in the collections of museums, galleries and private owners. (BTW she has a wonderful explanation with photos of her technique on her website:  https://www.rachelnewling.com/about  )

 

Imogen Cunningman: Photographer par excellence

Recently I was asked who taught me about shadows, tones, and textures for my art. I answered,"A big source was making studies from Imogen Cunningham's book titled, Flora, which I had found in a used book store." I thought the photography was wonderful and I wanted to know more about the artist.

Imogen Cunningham (1883-1976)was born in Portland, Oregon. (Her father named her Imogen after the heroine in Shakespeare's Cymbeline.) Growing up, she took art lessons every summer. She found her medium in photography and bought her first camera at 18.

Her further education in photography was at the UW in Seattle where she studied chemistry in order to learn more about photo lab techniques. After graduation, she worked for the famed photographer, Edward Curtis.

Cunningham was about 26 years old when she received a grant to go to Germany for further study of photographic chemistry. She returned to Seattle and opened a portrait studio. (She was the only photographer who was a charter member of the Society of Seattle Artists. )

Her stunning work gained international recognition and exhibitions - Fellow of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and collected by the Smithsonian Institute.

Although it was her plant photos that caught my attention, she was also known for her nudes and industrial landscapes.

Were you familiar with her work? What do you think of her photography?