A selling exhibition of new works by botanical artists in the collection of Dr Shirley Sherwood OBE. The exhibition unites 18 outstanding contemporary artists, selected by Dr Sherwood, who is celebrating 25 years as a collector and supporter of botanical art.
Botanical art has for centuries been closely linked to exploration, travel, and adventure, aiding and inspiring scientists in their quest to understand the natural world. The best botanical artists have always, however, combined technical skill in producing a faithful likeness of a specimen with their own artistic flair. The artists in this exhibition, drawn from four continents, represent the very best of contemporary botanical art, each differing in style, but all perfectly capturing the essence of their chosen subject. They include Beverly Allen, Francesca Anderson, Susannah Blaxill, Phansakdi Chakkaphak, Ingrid Finnan, Monika de Vries Gohlke, Coral Guest, Sue Herbert, Annie Hughes, Mieko Ishikawa, Kate Nessler, Susan Ogilvy, Rachel Pedder-Smith, Bryan Poole, Rosie Sanders, Fiona Strickland, Jessica Tcherepnine, and Carol Woodin.
The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art in Kew Gardens is the first gallery dedicated solely to botanical art, displaying the works of living artists from the collection of Dr Shirley Sherwood OBE alongside the Garden’s holdings. It is a vivid testament to the current renaissance of contemporary botanical art, demonstrating its fruitful dialogue with great masters of the past while highlighting the excellence of today’s practitioners.
