Plantae 2024: A Celebration of Botanical Excellence
- StudioMagenta.Co
- Jun 30, 2024
- 2 min read
Reflections on Being Part of the Society of Botanical Artists Annual Exhibition
I'm thrilled to share that two of my artworks were selected for inclusion in the Plantae 2024 online exhibition catalogue. A moment of genuine pride and validation for any botanical artist. The exhibition ran throughout June 2024, showcasing the incredible breadth and talent within our botanical art community.
When you spend countless hours alone in your studio, meticulously rendering each petal, each vein, each subtle colour shift, there's always a question in the back of your mind: Does this work resonate beyond my own artistic depiction of the plants? Being chosen for the Plantae catalogue answers that question with a resounding yes. It means your work has been recognised by peers who understand the dedication, the patience, and the deep observation that botanical art requires.
The Society of Botanical Artists (SBA) holds a special place in my artistic journey. After studying botanical art with them in the UK, the organisation has remained a touchstone – a community that understands this unique discipline where scientific accuracy meets artistic expression.
What strikes me most about Plantae 2024 is the incredible diversity of media and approaches represented. From graphite to watercolour, oils to colored pencil, vellum to scratchboard, and even sculpture, botanical art continues to evolve and expand while maintaining its essential commitment to careful observation and scientific accuracy.
Scrolling through the exhibition, I was particularly moved by the works depicting wild flora. There's something profound about documenting the plants that grow wild around us, preserving them in art as their habitats face increasing pressures. Each piece tells a story – not just of the plant itself, but of the artist's relationship with it, the hours of observation, the dedication to capturing its essence.
The colored pencil works caught my eye, given my own love for this demanding medium. It's a technique that requires patience and precision, building up layers of colour gradually to achieve depth and luminosity. Seeing how different artists approach the same medium is endlessly fascinating and inspiring.
The Plantae 2024 catalogue is a stunning collection that represents a cross-section of contemporary botanical art at its finest. It's the kind of publication you return to again and again, finding new details, new inspirations, new reasons to pick up your own pencils or brushes.
For anyone interested in botanical art, whether as an art investor or admirer, this catalogue offers both inspiration and education. You can see how different artists approach similar subjects, how various media handle botanical forms, and how the tradition of botanical illustration continues to evolve in exciting new directions.
The full Plantae 2024 catalogue is available at https://www.soc-botanicalartists.org/exhibitions/plantae-2024/
Sally Arnold Botanical Artist www.sallyarnold.com
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