Picture Profile 2304: Magnolia stellata 2.
In January 2022, the Iceni Botanical Artists, IBA (of which I am a member, and Chair from November 2021–), decided that their next botanical project would be to paint a year of the flora and fauna in Fullers Mill Garden, West Stow, Suffolk, designed and planted by Bernard Tickner and his wife, Bess. It was decided that it should be a two-year project and completion of all artworks was set for 1st January 2024.
Annie Delbridge, head gardener (with permission from the Charity Perennial who now look after the garden) supplied the IBA with a list of plants which grow in the garden and the animals, birds, insects, fish etc., which live in or visit the garden. Iceni Artists have been free to choose which plants, vistas and fauna they would like to depict and it is hoped that we will hold an exhibition of all the artworks, as well as publishing a book with a selection of paintings.
My main task for the project is to paint 12 snowdrops – some rare, some not so, and others which are different, for example, white and yellow flowers and parts, rather than white and green, and most with a connection to East Anglia. But I also plan to do a few other plants and garden vistas. This painting is the beautiful star magnolia.
Artist Code 2304. Magnolia stellata 2. Water colour on Aquarelle Arches 100% cotton paper 140lb. 12″ x 16″. Completed 21st March 2023
I started this little painting in January 2023, thinking I had enough time to complete it before my snowdrops emerged. However, I was wrong, so having used sketches drawn on tracing paper from the first time I painted this lovely plant, and adding a couple more flowers and a spray of autumnal leaves, I had to put it on the back burner. It came out to be completed 10th March and I completed it 21st March 2023. I have called it “Magnolia stellata 2” because my previous painting, done in 2010 was called “Magnolia stellata”, but was a special one with a silver ring included in the design to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Society of Botanical Artists. It was one of a trio of magnolias painted on a dark blue wash, using the background to create the subtle greys and blues of the shady parts (see below this new painting). Sadly, they were not selected for the 2010 exhibition, but nevertheless, I sold them at subsequent exhibitions.
This painting has proved very popular on Facebook (Botanical Artists)
107 and counting, 29th March 2023!
