Our Winter Warmer - 2019/20

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Where our artists live.

Vessels of Life - © Jackie Isard - UK

Watercolour. Seedhead series which includes Hog Weed, Agapanthus, Cowslip, Rosehip, Iris, Honesty, Welsh Poppy, Camassia and Marigold

Peas and Beans - © Gillie Spargo - UK

Watercolour. Peas and beans (Pisum sp., Phaseolus sp.) was initially painted over several months to obtain different stages of growth. The diagonal stem of beans was added in the summer. All specimens from my allotment.

Winter Twigs - © Brenda Coleman - UK

Watercolour, pen and ink. Ash buds are opposite and black; willow and oak buds are arranged spirally, the latter being in clusters at the tips of branches; poplar twigs are brown and very knobbly. Fraximus excelsior, Salix caprea, Quercus robur, Populus nigra (Ash, Goat Willow, Pedunculate Oak, Black Poplar).

An Autumn Blackberry Branch - © Gaynor Dickeson - UK

Rubus fructicosa. Branch and berries painted in actual size from life. Leaves and fruit replaced as parts died. Watercolour painted on Kelmscott vellum.

The White Pine Cone - © Claire Ward - UK

The White Pine cone is painted twice life-size in watercolours on Fabriano Classico 140lb hotpress paper.

Wildflowers - © Lorraine Barraclough - UK

Watercolour and graphite. Wildflowers growing in the hedges, roadsides and verges of Aberdeenshire. 1. Feather of a Kestrel Falco tinnunculus. 2. Germander speedwell Veronica chamaedrys. 3. Sorrel Rumex acetosa. Creeping buttercup Ranunculus repens. 5. Orange hawkweed Pilosella aurantiaca. 6. Brown garden snail Helix aspersa. 7. Tufted vetch Vicia cracca.

Sweet Pea Painted Lady - © Lisa Coles - UK

Watercolour. Lathyrus odoratus is from the Fabaceae or pea family, showing here typical characteristics of 5 petals: an erect banner, 2 wing petals around the lower keel of 2 fused petals.

Slipper Orchid - © Joan Giles

Paphiopedilum maudiae "Femma". Life-size watercolour on HP Fabriano Classico 5.

Purple Princess - © Jackie Isard - UK

Watercolour. A dissected Greater Knapweed flowerhead. Centaurea scabiosa (dissected).

Red Kangaroo Paw - © Melinda Edstein - Australia

An Australian native (Anigozanthos rufus) with stunning, furry red flowers that actually do resemble a kangaroo's paw,

Three autumn Blueberry leaves - © Gaynor Dickeson - UK

Blueberry leaves from a cultivated Highbush Blueberry which were found on the patio. Painted with watercolour on natural calfskin vellum

Red Hot Poker - © Anne Girling - UK

Coloured pencil and graphite. The plant drawn is a specimen from the Merton Borders of Oxford Botanic Garden in the South African bed. Kniphofia sp.

Pommegranate - © Giovanna Gatto - Italy

Watercolour. Warm colours for pommegranate. Punica granatum.

Pink Flowering Gum - © Melinda Edstein - Australia

Coloured pencil. An Australian native flowering tree, Eucalyptus leucoxylon.

Natal Bottlebrus © Cynthia Byrne-Margetts - USA

Greyia sutherlandii. Watercolour painted on 140lb HP paper.

Parasol Mushroom - © Helen Cavalli - UK

Watercolour painting of a Parasol Mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) with detail of the ground cover; twigs, decayed leaves and bark.

Peace lily - © Alison Harley - France

Watercolour. Spathiphyllum . I love the fragility and delicate colours of this lovely house plant - a welcome gift that provided the perfect subject for indoors during a particularly rainy period.

Mistletoe © Gaynor Dickeson - UK

Coloured pencil. Branch of Mistletoe (Viscum album) harvested in Chidham but host plant unknown.

Old Sycamore leaf - © Marie Batters - UK

A graphite tonal drawing of an old Sycamore leaf (Acer pseudoplatanus).

Oak Study - © Brenda Coleman - UK

Watercolour. An oak leaf (Quercus robur) and acorns in autumn.

Nasturtiums - © Julie Coleclough - UK

Watercolour. An edible nasturtium (Trapaeolum majus 'Tom Thumb') grown on my SE London plot.

Lily of the valley - © Sandra Doyle - UK

Watercolour. Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) May 2019, Somerset.

Mahonia ‘Charity’ - © Pamela Taylor - UK

Pen and ink.

Merryweather Damson - © Brenda Coleman - UK

Watercolour, pen and ink. A cultivar (Prunus domestica, subspecies insititia, family Roseaceae) grown for its relatively large autumn fruits and good autumn foliage colour. Damsons make particularly good preserves, jams and crumbles. The original species make tough hedges typical of Shropshire and Kent.

Lady's slipper orchid - © Alison Harley - France

Watercolour. I sketched this captivating orchid (Cypripedium) in Glasgow's Botanic Gardens years ago, but only recently felt I could do it justice with a paintbrush.

King Protea - © Cynthia Byrne-Margetts - USA

Watercolour. King Protea bud (Protea cynaroides). Watercolour on 140 lb Arches HP paper.

Gum Leafed Conebush - © Cynthia Byrne-Margetts - USA

Watercolour (Leucadendron eucalyptifolium) on 140lb Arches HP paper.

Gingko biloba - © Julie Coleclough - UK

Watercolour. A cascade of leaves and fruit from the Maidenhair tree at Eltham Palace, SE London.

Goats rue - © Lisa Coles - UK

Watercolour. Goats rue (Galega officinalis) is from the Fabaceae or pea family. It grows wild in my garden, part of a former gravel quarry. It has been used to develop diabetes treatment.

English Holly - © Emma van Klaveren Finlay - UK

Watercolour. A seasonal branch of English holly.

Bromeliads - © Melinda Edstein - Australia

Coloured pencil. Guzmania 'Torch', Vriesea 'Style', Vriesea hybrid cultivar, Vriesea duvaliana. These spectacular tropical plants come in such vibrant colours - many coloured pencils were sacrificed to portray them.

Scarlet Wonder - © Lorraine Barraclough - UK

Watercolour and graphite. Rhododendron forrestii var. repens. Dwarf rhododendron 'Scarlet Wonder'. Dwarf rhododendron with dissections. 1. Stigma and style. 2. Stamen. 3. Corolla. 4. Gynoecia, androecia, calyces and pedicels of umbel inflorescence. 5. Pistil and pedicel with longitudinal section of ovary.

Dogwoods - © Annie Patterson - France

Watercolour on paper - Siberian dogwood and Midwinter fire (Cornus).

Globe Artichoke - © Helen Cavalli - UK

Watercolour. The painting was inspired from the plant (Cynara cardunculus) growing in my garden and the incredible colour and details.

Ash Keys - © Jackie Isard - UK

Watercolour. A branch of Ash tree 'keys' (Fraxinus keys). A vulnerable tree on the Red List.

Ampelopsis - © Giovanna Gatto - Italy

Watercolour. Autumn dried leaves
(Ampelopsis brevipedunculata).

Chinese Lantern - © Giovanna Gatto - Italy

Watercolour. Warm autumn colours (Physalis alkekengi).

Quince - © Gillie Spargo - UK

Watercolour. A mixture of edible and ornamental quince (Cydonia oblonga, Chaenomeles speciosa), this painting took over a year to complete, so that it could feature both flowers and fruit. I included the knife as a contrast to the vegetation.

Oak Leaves - © Gillie Spargo - UK

Watercolour. I picked up the 'lacy' leaf on my way to a botanical workshop at an art society and added to it over the next few months, finally including the moth.

Aliberti's Butterfly Orchid - © Helen Ainsworth

Coloured pencil. Aliberti's Butterfly Orchid (Orchis Papilionacae ss alibertis).