Welcome to Wales Society of Botanical Illustrators
2024
Scroll down for updated information and our July Newsletter
Who are WSBI?
We are an enthusiastic group of illustrators ranging from total beginners to accomplished and exhibited artists. We meet regularly for painting, drawing and socialising sessions. National Trust Wales has been very supportive of the WSBI and our continuing close association with Tredegar House offers the Society the opportunity to reach a wider audience.
We frequently present workshops by renowned Botanical and Natural History Artists. This year our presenters include, Cath Hodsman, Penny Brown, Billy Showell, Ann Swan and Jackie Isard.
Our annual Summer Exhibition, which is always very popular, will take place in the Laundry Building from the 24th to the 31st of August.
We welcome visitors to drop in to the Laundry Training Room (opposite the cafe) where we hold fortnightly Saturday painting and drawing sessions. We love to chat about our art work and visitors often talk about and share images of their own art.
Activities
We offer the opportunity to people of any ability, from complete beginners to established artists to paint, draw, learn and socialise. We work in partnership with Tredegar House (National Trust Wales). If you would like to come and join one of our sessions please drop in to the Laundry Training Room or contact us via the website. We have welcomed visitors from across the UK and look forward to continuing to promote our interest and enthusiasm for the art of botanical art and illustration.
OUR LOGO IS THE SNOWDEN LILY. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED, IT IS THOUGHT THAT FEWER THAN 100 PLANTS ARE IN EXISTENCE.
Until recently Wales, unlike Ireland, Scotland and many English counties did not have a botanical illustrators’ society. We recognise that recently there has been an increase in popularity of this art form. If your interests involve botanical and natural history subjects, you may be interested in the work of our Botanical Illustrators’ Society. Our members are often gardeners, growers and plant lovers. Some of us come to the Society with an art background, but the majority are members who have a fascination for plants and who delight in learning more about both artistic techniques and botany. If this sounds like the ideal activity for you, drop us a line to find out when you can join us for an afternoon.
Spring Workshops 2024
Ann Swan Workshop
Coloured Pencil Tactile Textures
1 Day Wednesday 10th July
Ann works primarily in graphite and coloured pencil. She is well known for her fine detail, vibrant colours and strong contemporary style. She favours the underdog or the unusual in the plant world, drawing our attention to their beauty through her striking compositions. She is constantly experimenting with her chosen medium, trying to achieve a more painterly effect and ever brighter colours and has recently started a series of ‘Larger than Life’ images magnifying small sections of plants and pushing the boundaries of botanical art a bit further.
Ann is passionate about coloured pencils believing they are easy to master, forgiving and accessible so that even a complete beginner can very quickly produce work of quality. Recently retired from many years exhibiting at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and judging on the RHS Picture Panel she now devotes her energies to teaching and is happy to pass on all her techniques and knowledge. She runs workshops at her studio in Wiltshire, online and around the world including Europe, Africa and the USA although latterly these have mainly been on Zoom.
Jackie Isard Workshop
Flowers from Tredegar House
2 Day 27th & 28th July
Jackie Isard is an award-winning botanical artist having won a Gold medal at RHS in 2022. She is passionate about painting and teaching. Based in Bristol, her delicate watercolours are much admired for their intricacy and detail. She teaches a regular Saturday group and various workshops in Abbots Leigh, Bristol. She also runs workshops with Society groups in the South West, Wales, Gloucestershire and other venues across the UK.
In 2022 Jackie completed her RHS exhibition entry entitled 'Wet Meadow Wildflowers ~ their pollinators and as food plants' and won a Gold medal. Two of her RHS paintings are now held in the RHS Lindlay Library and The Shirley Sherwood Collection.
Penny Brown Workshop
Graphite
1 Day Saturday 10th August
Penny Brown is a highly experienced illustrator and a prize winning botanical artist who works in a variety of media to capture the beauty and complexity of the natural world. She works in watercolour, graphite cut paper collage. She has illustrated many books on craft, textiles, design, natural history and gardening.
For availability, pricing and booking information please contact the WSBI website.
The WSBI Walled Garden Florilegium
Kate Warren
Barbara Taylor
Barbara Taylor
Watercolour painting of Oenothera, otherwise known as Evening Primrose
Barbara Taylor
Barbara Taylor
Barbara Taylor
Watercolour painting of Cynara cardunculus, otherwise known as Cardoon or Artichoke thistle
Louise Hodgson
Llanfrechfa Grange Walled Garden
Llanfrechfa Grange Walled Garden
Coloured pencil drawing of Salvia rosmarinus, otherwise known as Rosemary
Llanfrechfa Grange Walled Garden
Llanfrechfa Grange Walled Garden
Llanfrechfa Grange Walled Garden
One of WSBI projects is to produce a Florilegium made on behalf of the Llanfrechfa Grange Walled Garden. The walled garden, once part of an old manor House is in the grounds of the University Hospital in Cwmbran. Volunteer's have re-established the garden with hard work and the generosity of many contributors. For this phase of our work
One of WSBI projects is to produce a Florilegium made on behalf of the Llanfrechfa Grange Walled Garden. The walled garden, once part of an old manor House is in the grounds of the University Hospital in Cwmbran. Volunteer's have re-established the garden with hard work and the generosity of many contributors. For this phase of our work with LGWG we have been focussing on medical plants. With the support of UHC we will be having an 6 week Exhibition of our drawings and paintings later in the year. More details of this event will be issued as soon as we have firm dates..
The photographs below show members work from 2023.
About Us
Work by WSBI Members
These images are best viewed on a tablet or laptop.
Sycamore seeds
POA
Watercolour painting on Vellum by
Linda Joseph
Pink princess lily
NFS
Watercolour painting by
Barbara Taylor
images are the property of the artist and are subject to copyright.
Figs.
POA
Watercolour painting on Fabriano Artistico by
Sian Phillips
Poppy
POA
Watercolour painting by Linda Joseph
Where the wild things are
NFS
Graphite drawing by Sian Phillips
Blackberry bramble
NFS
Watercolour painting by Wendy Morgan
Welsh poppy
NFS
Watercolour painting by Linda Joseph
Drawings, paintings and prints by WSBI members may be available to purchase. If you would like more information please email wsbi.org.uk