Botanical

I would like to introduce the work of two artists I admire. Firstly my mother, Marion Olsen. As a child I loved the stories she'd write and illustrate for my sister and me, however she dedicated herself to singing, which led to us moving from Aotearoa New Zealand to the UK in 1981. It wasn't until 1996, two years after I myself had finished my degree in Fine Arts at Middlesex University, that she began painting seriously while recovering from glandular fever. This led to her studying botanical painting and design, gaining experience in the latter creating colourways for Cole and Son wallpapers. Her work has been selected for exhibitions with the Society of Botanical Artists in The Mall Galleries, London. You can follow her work on Instagram @marionolsenbotanical.

From the Plantae: Society of Botanical Artists Annual Exhibition 2019: 'Marion Olsen – a professional mezzo-soprano who discovered her talent for painting while recovering from glandular fever in 1996. Her love of flowers lead her to botanical art and she started courses with CSBA in 2015, graduating with credit for her Botanical Painting and Illustration Diploma in 2018.'

The above pages are from her perpetual journal, working on each page over a week or so. A way to keep exploring visually and connecting with the plants around on a daily basis. Below are the gorgeous textures in watercolour of a pear from 2016.

The second artist is Rupert Hughes. We met at Middlesex University when we we both exploring the medium of paint. We both were drawn later on to wood found in the streets, Rupert in London and me in Madrid. Rupert's pieces were like open books telling stories of the city, while I was painting flamenco portraits on old wooden window shutters rescued from skips in my neighbourhood of Lavapiés. Rupert Hughes also works as a landscape gardener and his interest in plants and the environment led him to write the blog IN A GREEN SHADE – 'a diary of back garden botany, urban ecology, rural rambles and field trips to the middle of nowhere...'

Since 2017 his posts follow the seasons with comments, findings, and his photographs of the plants and landscapes he encounters on his rambles, and it is a delight and inspiration to go on the journey with him via his blog.

(Artworks and photographs © the artists)

Marion Olsen – @marionolsenbotanical
Rupert Hughes – IN A GREEN SHADE