TECHNIQUES

Watercolour

APPROACH AND INSPIRATION

Botanical art first appealed to me as a practice following a tragic bereavement. Like so many others, I came to value its meditative discipline, and the way one gets lost in the contemplation of nature. I believe everyone can benefit from observing and drawing plants, no matter what your level of artistic ability. As an art form, it offers itself to universal enjoyment and appreciation, and I believe it is a great way of connecting with people everywhere.

BIOGRAPHY

I came to botanical art from a background in illustration, commercial art and cartooning, having worked freelance in book publishing and advertising in Canada in my student years. I studied for a while at the École Nationale des Beaux-arts de Reims in France, but made my career in other areas instead. In 2000 I moved to Ireland, and in 2008, returned to art as a hobby when Oonagh Phillips taught me the techniques of botanical art.

Having signed up for a distance-learning course in botanical art, I came in contact with a number of other Irish participants. With so much talent ready to be synchronised, I prepared the initial proposal to the National Botanic Gardens to lay the foundations for the ISBA, based on the desire to share the many benefits of botanical art among as many people as possible in this country. I served as Vice-Chairperson on the committee for its two first years.
Since 2009, I have also been a volunteer children’s illustrator at Fighting Words, and my work can be seen on my blog, which may also be used to contact me.

MEMBERSHIP
Irish Society of Botanical Artists

CONTACT

Bird of Paradise
(c) Marie Stamp

Honeysuckle
(c) Marie Stamp