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The Iceni Botanical Artists (IBA) Fullers Mill Garden Exhibition is now up and running – Bury Guildhall, Bury St Edmunds

Another wonderful report from Doreen Taylor, IBA Member (and see Exhibition itinerary and a few photographs below:)

Preview of Iceni Botanical Artists Annual Exhibition at The Guildhall Bury St Edmunds “Fullers Mill Garden – A Jewel in the Forest”

After more than two years of dedicated and fascinating study, Iceni Botanical Artists were proud to present a very special exhibition—a celebration of all the beauty and calm of Fullers Mill Garden.

Three years ago Iceni were invited by Fullers Mill to record the flora and fauna of Bernard Tickner’s beautiful garden and we have been working on this unique project ever since. Twenty five artists, each with their own individual style, were given complete freedom to choose whichever plants they would like to paint from a list compiled by Fullers Mill.

Just like the garden itself the completed collection of artworks is a kaleidoscope of colourful plants and wildlife which have come together in one delightful and satisfying exhibition. In addition, most of these paintings have been made into a very beautiful and well designed book, with an interesting text written by Rod Leeds, a great friend of Bernard Tickner and his garden and additional script by Tina Bone (editor).

Our President, Isobel Bartholomew, opened the exhibition, explaining how the whole project came into being and invited Rod Leeds to present the first of three awards.

First, our prestigious Val Hesmondhalgh Trophy (a beautiful glass vase) for Botanical excellence was awarded to Isobel herself (and richly deserved) for her painting of the “Cardiocrinum giganteum var. yunnanense” (Giant Himalayan Lily). Rod commented that this life-size study in watercolour and graphite was a work of outstanding botanical accuracy showing every detail of the plant’s structure and life cycle.

Rod also mentioned the painting of Broussonetia papyrifera Laciniata (Paper Bark Mulberry), painted by Georgie Kuna saying that the overall composition was unusual and remarkable but also that Georgie’s depiction of this very complicated plant ran a very close second to Isobel’s work. He was most impressed with all the artwork in the exhibition and congratulated IBA artists on their wonderful achievement.

Then Isobel gave a very special award of a bouquet of flowers to our Chair, Tina Bone, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Iceni Botanical Artists. This was not only for all her hard work since taking the helm but above all for her highly professional work as project manager of our study of Fullers Mill garden and the creation of our beautiful accompanying book.

The third award, ‘The People’s Choice’ is in the hands of our visitors who have the opportunity to vote for their favourite painting. It is always exciting to see who will win.

So our project is complete and we can all now enjoy welcoming visitors to the exhibition, hoping it gives them as much pleasure as it has given IBA artists to study and paint all these wonderful plants. And above all it may inspire everyone to visit Fullers Mill garden and make it their own very special place.

Doreen Taylor, Saturday 28th June 2025

Cardiocrinum yunnanense (Giant Himalayan Lily) by Isobel Bartholomew which won IBA’s Botanical Excellence Award – the Val Hesmondhalgh Vase (chosen by Rod Leeds).
Broussonetia papyrifera (Paperbark Mulberry) by Georgie Kuna – a very close runner-up to Isobel’s painting.
Tina Bone’s stand showing a few draft versions of IBA’s new book about Fullers Mill Garden, as well as one of her own River Friend Series of published books all about rivers: “Drying Up”, with 5 versions of text and various illustrations used in her book.
Jan enjoying a coffee after a hard day’s toil on the exhibition floor!
Francesca and Louis ready to “pour” for the visitors.
Rosemary and Alison at the helm – in charge of the money, book and catalogue sales.
“Rob’s Corner” dedicated to our dearly departed member, Rob Dyke, who passed away in March 2025 after having completed 20 artworks for the Fullers Mill Project. Rob’s family were in attendance and had very kindly given permission for his paintings to be on display and for sale at this exhibition.
There are over 500 cards on sale as well as just 25 limited edition copies of IBA 2026 calendar commemorating this exhibition and project.
The fabulous Banqueting Hall showing half the collection of artworks during a lull in visitors!
Just a few of the fabulous paintings on show in the Court Room, where during the exhibition, the one-day workshops and demonstrations will also be taking place beneath the “Judge’s” seat.
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Only two days until Iceni Botanical Artists’ wonderful Book Launch at Fullers Mill Garden Friday 6th June 2025

IBA’s second publication, “Fullers Mill Garden A Jewel in the Forest”, will be available to purchase after 6th June 2025 in the Garden shop. See some of the beautiful paintings which have been done specially for the book below

IBA’s 2025 selling Exhibition at Bury Guildhall follows the book launch and showcases all the paintings done for the project. The new book will also be on sale here. The exhibition begins on Saturday 27th June and ends on Saturday 12th July 2025 (Open every day from 10.00am till 4.00pm). We also have a fabulous (posh) printed catalogue available as a visitor memento for £10.

The books have arrived and are all sitting patiently in their boxes under my staircase waiting to be distributed and sold. I noticed the desk on which I had piled them was sagging in the middle, so had to take most of the boxes off!!!! Fortunately, it did regain its shape:

Here are some of the stunning artworks published in the book and which will be for sale at the Bury Guildhall Exhibition from 28th June to 12th July:

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River Friend Books now available from Kingfishers Bridge Nature Reserve

A big thank you to Kingfishers Bridge Nature Reserve for showcasing our little River Friend Books in their shop. It is a wonderful place to visit and the scenery and wildlife are stunning.

Kingfishers Bridge itself
Time for tea and cake
Buffalo wallow
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Iceni Botanical Artists 2025 Annual Exhibition of Fullers Mill Garden Saturday 28th June to Saturday 12th July 2025 – Bury Guildhall IP33 1PR

Along with 165 beautiful paintings of the flora and fauna in Fullers Mill Garden, IBA have a new book coming out on 6th June 2025.
The paintings and new book will be for sale at IBA’s Annual Art Exhibition at the Bury Guildhall, Guildhall Street, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 1PR.

Exhibition Programme
28th June to 12th July 2025

Opening and Preview day Saturday 28th June 2025
ALL WELCOME. Exhibition opens from 10.00am to 4.00pm
Join us for drinks from 11.00am
Award of the Val Hesmondhalgh Trophy for Botanical Excellence
Prize for the favourite painting of the Special Guest
Vote for your favourite original painting

The Exhibition is open 10.00am to 4.00pm every day
except final day, 12 July, open from 10.00am to 2.00pm.

WORKSHOPS AND DEMONSTRATIONS BY IBA MEMBERS

Tuesday 1st July: Water Colour Workshop 11am to 4pm fee £40.00—“WHAT WATER COLOUR PAINT CAN DO FOR YOU” Rosemary Dodgson. Click for further information and to Purchase your Ticket

Friday 4th July: Coloured Pencil Workshop 11am to 4pm fee £40.00—“NATURAL FINDS IN INK AND COLOURED PENCIL” Vicky Hallam. Click for further information and to Purchase your Ticket

Saturday 5th July: Coloured Pencil and Ink Workshop 11am to 4pm Fee £40.00—“BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATION IN GRAPHITE AND COLOURED PENCIL” Vicky Hallam. Click for further information and to Purchase your Ticket

Monday 7th July: Demonstration 11am to 1.30pm—“MEET THE ARTIST” Jan Toomer.

Wednesday 9th July: Demonstration 12 noon to 4pm—“FANTASY HARES AND SLEEPING WARRIORS” Sandra Pond.

Friday 11th July: coloured pencil workshop 11am to 4pm— “Painting in Coloured Pencil Using Solvents to Blend” Matthew Peace. Click for further information and to Purchase your Ticket

Exhibition duration: Non-selling exhibit—“THE BOOK PRODUCTION PROCESS”, and “LOOK TO PUT SOME PIECES IN THE FULLERS MILL JIGSAW PUZZLE” Tina Bone.

Below are some artworks in the exhibition and details of the book

IBA’s new book: “Fullers Mill Garden—A Jewel in the Forest” is a 200-page volume with over 160 illustrations. Hardback, 8″ x 11.5″, thread-sewn with ribbon marker retails at £36.99. The artwork of this project, and shown at this exhibition, showcases the flora and fauna of Fullers Mill Garden (West Stow, Suffolk). It is intended for anyone interested in gardens, flowers, and nature, and has been written and designed to appeal to a wide range of public—from watercolourists to home gardeners and horticulturists, to local historians, and those interested in botanical art. And of course those who just love the tranquil Fullers Mill Garden itself. Note the Epigraph to the book:

A truly magical and very special garden in a most inspiring setting, every corner of which reflects the passion and dedication of those who work to maintain and develop it. Fullers Mill Garden is a place to find peace and tranquillity amongst an array of interesting and beautiful plants at any time of the year; its atmosphere is truly unique. Simply a gardener’s paradise!”

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2418 “Juniper—is it an Aril?” selected for Botanical Art Worldwide 2025 exhibition

Received this very nice email this morning (7 March 2025):

I am pleased to inform you that your artwork has been selected by the judges to be part of the United Kingdom (excluding Scotland) exhibition in the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Gallery, Birmingham 13th – 24th May 2025. It will also be included in the official exhibition catalogue/book. In addition, your work will form part of the international slideshow that will be viewed at the various events associated with the 32 countries participating in Botanical Art Worldwide – 2025.

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Norfolk Wildlife Trust -Cley Visitor Centre art exhibition

I spent all day (Wednesday 10th July 2024) at the Norfolk Wildlife Trust Cley Visitor Centre in Norfolk to welcome visitors to the Natural World Art Society Exhibitions of Seascapes and Native UK fauna. The exhibitions are split between the large gallery room and outside up the steps to the thatched “scope” room. It is a beautiful venue and quite a lot of visitors came in to look. If you would like to support Norfolk Wildlife Trust, why not go along and visit the exhibition and buy a painting or print. A donation to the Trust will be made for every item sold.

  • These are my six water colour paintings in the exhibition (all priced at £450 – individual, handmade frames speckled gun metal in colour, size 18″ x 22″, with archival mount). Just click on a picture to view the profile story of inception, execution and completion for each painting.
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“Rockin’ Ref” – Tina’s Facebook Year Book

Just received a notification that my ten-year Facebook year book was available. The front cover hit an historic note: a photograph from the Cambridge Evening News of me singing and playing my guitar with two of my lovely three boys (Jason and Paul) entertaining at a Christmas party some years ago – and that was quite a few by the looks of how young I and the boys appear!!! (Just noticed, it says I am 41 so that makes it 1991.) Wonderful, wonderful memories.

This is the photograph and see below for transcript:

CEN transcript:

Behind the smile there is a touch of steel about Tina Bone.
And woe betide the player whose football does not capture the festive spirit at Barton on Saturday.
Because Bone, who is to referee Barton v Sawston White Lion, will have no hesitation in sending off any Santa-season sinners.
“I don’t stand for any nonsense,” she warned.
She shrugs off any touchline ribaldry as she carries out one of her hobbies in a rich, fun-packed life.
Take yesterday. The 41-year-old live-wire from Comberton spent some of the afternoon in Cambridge belting out ‘60s rock and roll with two of her three sons under the “Generation Link” banner.
“Corny name, isn’t it,” chortled Bone, who is also a Parish Councillor, netball player and coach, life-saver, cycle racer and that rarity—a woman [football] referee.
And a mum—“I was just making the beds” was her opening remark—who works from home in desk-top publishing.
A trio of players have found to their cost this season that Bone knows how to control footballers from colts league to County League, Division Three.
She is also able to run the line at a higher level.
This is the third season she has spent in the middle, following in the refereeing footsteps of Comberton neighbour Beverley Chapman.
Bone managed [one of] the village colts team for four years, only taking the Cambridgeshire FA-run referees’ course so she could teach her players the laws.
And if there is any leg-pulling from any of those footballers on Saturday…watch out!

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Jackie’s Vellum Workshop: a wonderful day of learning for IBA Members

I just attended a lovely day learning how to paint on vellum with one of our IBA members, Jackie Day, as tutor. It was a very splendid day as reported by member, Doreen Taylor, in her report below (and below that is a little film of snapshots of the day):

On Wednesday 8th May seven IBA members gathered together at Santon Downham Village hall for our latest group tutorial workshop, “Painting on Vellum”, with Jackie Day.
It was a joyfully sunny spring morning: the trees looking scrumptious in green taffeta, buttercups showing off in the fresh green grass, and the sky a clear watercolour blue.
After the obligatory coffee and biscuits we settled down to learn all about the nature of vellum. What it is, which is calf skin, how it is prepared for painting and how it behaves under an artist’s brush. For example, if vellum gets wet, as it dries it will revert back to the curves of its original shape. Unlike paper, the paint will just sit on the surface of vellum, so it is easily disturbed. On the plus side, as long as the paint is a non-staining (transparent) colour, any mistakes are easy to remove.
It is a demanding support and needs to be handled with care. It will not tolerate grease so must be held in place only by its four corners. Being a bit of a shape-shifter it is sensitive to the air quality around it so in framing it needs to be anchored by the top edge only, giving it freedom to expand or contract at will.
Painting on vellum is a slow, ultra careful process of dry brush work in thin layers, using very fine brushes with a touch as gentle as painting on a butterfly wing. What is nice is that colours can actually be mixed on the surface layer by careful layering—each layer of colour showing through the next with a resultant vibrancy which is not possible on paper. So areas of differing colour, say on a leaf, can be blended together with much more control. Big bonus in my book!
We had our lunchtime break outside in glorious sunshine, enjoying chatting to each other as we always do. Then it was back to our paint brushes, and a tranquil and productive afternoon. Unusually for us the chattering soon dwindled into the silence of being totally absorbed in what we were trying to do. A lesson in mindfulness if ever there was one.
Jackie was an excellent tutor, making the class extra nice by thoughtfully providing background music of gentle birdsong (Birdsong.FM).
At the end of the afternoon it was time to gather round and admire each other’s work. The results were stunning, especially for first timers painting on Vellum.
Thank you again Jackie from all of us for a hugely enjoyable and profitable day. And I for one can’t wait to carry on with this fascinating and ancient craft that is painting on vellum. (Doreen Taylor)

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1201: Tayabak with Critters (Jade Vine) Jigsaw Puzzle progress

Having completed the “Puffins and Thrift” Jigsaw puzzle my very-good-at-puzzles friend has kindly agreed to work on the Tayabak with Critters (PICTURE PROFILE) one, which totally defeated me – and I painted the picture!

Here is the progress so far (whole picture below the puzzle progress pictures).