Botanical Art

Plants have always been good subjects for art because pattern (genetics) combined with variation (environment) yields design.  And of course prior to photography, and for many reasons still superior, botanical illustration was quite significant and a bridge between science and art.  For reasons still unclear in his mind TPP minored in art, which was somewhat unusual for a biology major, but having limited artistic talent, this interest was turned toward acquiring whatever art attracted my attention.  Funny, TPP never set out to be an art "collector", but after awhile it sort of accumulates and why before you know it you have a collection, a big collection, and yes, a great many have a botanical theme.  Of the many things TPP likes about his second home Australia, one is that they have a great tradition of natural history art.  One of TPP's prized possessions is a print by Leslie van der Sluys (google him to see examples of his work), and since his untimely and recent death his prints are getting harder to find and pricier.  They are stunning B&W prints each hand colored.  So naturally it came as no surprise to find that an online clearing house for botanical art had Australia as its base although botanical art from many countries is represented.  This water color of lotus so brazenly displayed here is the work of another Australian artist, Jenny Phillips, whose work TPP saw at a recent botanical congress in Melbourne.  Yes, TPP is tempted to buy this piece, but his art allowance has been sort of depleted of late.