((PKG)) BOTANICAL ART EXHIBIT
((Banner: Beauty in Science))
((Reporter: Deborah Block))
((Camera: Deborah Block, Adam Greenbaum, Mike Burke))
((Adapted by: Martin Secrest))
((Map: Washington, D.C.))
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((Locator: United States Botanic Garden))
((Popup Banner:
“Botanical Art Worldwide 2018” exhibits are underway in 25 different countries.
The exhibits and events call attention to plant diversity and botanical art))
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((CAROL WOODIN, BOTANICAL ARTIST))
Well, botanical art is sort of a hybrid between science and art. In addition to a final work having to be aesthetically pleasing and good to look at, it has to be scientifically correct. So, you have to show all the botanical details of the plant that you’re capturing. The kind of people that are drawn to botanical art? You might think that people have to be very patient, but there’s kind of a challenge to it. There’s so much learning that goes on, and it’s just an extremely enjoyable way to spend your time.
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((EILEEN MALONE-BROWN, BOTANICAL ARTIST))
Plants are ephemeral. Some things bloom just for an hour or two and then the petals fall off. So, you’re in constant search of a specimen that tells you the story that’s germane to that particular plant. What view, what drawing really is most authentic to that plant and best tells the story.
((NATS))
((EILEEN MALONE-BROWN, BOTANICAL ARTIST))
And it is probably about a third of the way done. I think I have, this is my fourth layer of watercolor that I’m putting down. So, I have quite a few more to do. I’m building its form right now. It’s three-dimensional aspect, and once you get that foundation down, then you continue to correct the color, and, or make more statements about the color, and begin to work on some of the details. But I am still working on the form, getting the very lows, low tones down, the darkest tones, and then protecting the highlights from a lot of paint.
((NATS))
((EILEEN MALONE-BROWN, BOTANICAL ARTIST))
Botanical accuracy is where we begin, and because we’re giving very important information about something that is alive and can be seen by others, and we don’t want them to be confused about what they’re viewing. But it’s up to us to make it artistically interesting, not in a way that compromises the accuracy, but that tells the story of the plant. But accuracy is first and foremost the primary (objective), because so many plants are closely related to each other, and you could give bad information if you didn’t really adhere to the accuracy part of it.
((NATS))
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