"Art is the only way to run away without leaving home" (Twyla Tharp)

Graceful ...





It's spring here in Westerm Australia and the best time of all ... the garden is really starting to take off and more so with the latest additions.



I've felt pretty flat lately because we miss our beloved Gracie so much.   I went looking for these roses - her namesake - and wanted to plant them in an area of the garden she wasn't often allowed - it isn't properly fenced off  and would have been too easy for her to disappear.  She loved this area when she ventured into it - and would sit and survey her surroundings for hours.


Planting more roses

We have a large garden which comes in handy, considering all the plants and cuttings I need to study for botanical art.  We're constantly working on different areas of the property to improve and generate more growth - and it's a huge undertaking.     I managed to find four of these rose bushes and they now have a new home in our garden.


I was so happy to see they have already started flowering - they're a really lovely scent of warm cinammon and honey.   My friend Jessica at Inky Leaves suggested the pattern of the petals was much like Gracie's beautiful apricot/cream coloured fur ... now I will think of that every time I see them blooming, a beautiful reminder.



 Also, our dear friends gave us this beautiful rose bush - "Gift of Grace" - they adored our Gracie too and spent a lot of time with her - our dogs were best of friends.
And - it's flowering already ... so lovely.   So we now have a 'Graceful' garden bed to enjoy.


As for the botanical art distance course - well, we're now onto our final assignment before the diploma portfolio works.  The current assignment is a composition of mixed flowers.  You'd think that would be easy - considering it's springtime.  





Once again, it's harder than it seems.  I was going to include wisteria - our vine is stunning, but there are so many petals and stems and colour hues and even though it is a gorgeous subject, it wilts as soon as you cut it.   After weeks of drawing, hayfever and colour studies it's back to the drawing board ...



Always with us xxx





Working from Photographs ...







This is Assignment 11 in the Society of Botanical Artists Distance Learning Diploma Course.  After previous assignments working from real life - the botanical subject in front of us, sketching, colour studies, compositional drawing and painting the artwork ... this assignment was a chance to use our design skills.  The criteria asked us to compose a greeting card using only our own photos, bringing them together in a style to suit a more commercial environment.   Once completed we had to send the photos with the artwork to show how we had constructed the completed card design.

Moving along from my last blog post where I had completed the botanical subject - the Pierre de Ronsard roses, I began to incorporate the architectural elements into the composition.


The heart sign from the French Alps, the stone archway from Provence, the bird bath from our home ..


... and of course, the Eiffel Tower from Paris!


 The tower was completed in graphite ... my apologies to the architect for this subtle rendition.
The architectural elements are all done in a neutral palette in watercolour.




A compilation of personal photographs resulting in my finished greeting card design.



 A card for my beloved to celebrate our anniversary trip to France 

or whatever you may wish it to be ... envoyé avec amour



Voila!!



All images and artwork copyright © Vicki Lee Johnston 2012