Rhododendron cinnabarinum: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Florilegium Collection
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, I graduated with a B.S. Hons. in Biological Sciences and still have an interest in biology and nature.
Following a move to Seattle, in the US, I revived my interest in botanical art and studied botanical drawing and watercolor at the studio of Kathleen McKeehen. As the years went on I attended workshops and classes with many other respected artists and teachers. Early on I discovered colored pencils and now work almost exclusively in this medium.
I became a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists and my local ASBA chapter, the Pacific Northwest Botanical Artists (PNBA). I'm also a member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, national and local, and the Colored Pencil Society in both America and the UK. Click on Connections for links to all these organizations.
My work has been juried into both national and international exhibits and my piece Rhododendron cinnabarinum is now part of the Royal Botanic Garden's Florilegium collection in Edinburgh, Scotland. Most recently Corvus was awarded first prize in the drawing category at the Edmonds Arts Festival. Later it was included in Ann Kullberg's CP Treasures Vol9.
Click on Exhibits for an up-to-date listing.
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, I graduated with a B.S. Hons. in Biological Sciences and still have an interest in biology and nature.
Following a move to Seattle, in the US, I revived my interest in botanical art and studied botanical drawing and watercolor at the studio of Kathleen McKeehen. As the years went on I attended workshops and classes with many other respected artists and teachers. Early on I discovered colored pencils and now work almost exclusively in this medium.
I became a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists and my local ASBA chapter, the Pacific Northwest Botanical Artists (PNBA). I'm also a member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, national and local, and the Colored Pencil Society in both America and the UK. Click on Connections for links to all these organizations.
My work has been juried into both national and international exhibits and my piece Rhododendron cinnabarinum is now part of the Royal Botanic Garden's Florilegium collection in Edinburgh, Scotland. Most recently Corvus was awarded first prize in the drawing category at the Edmonds Arts Festival. Later it was included in Ann Kullberg's CP Treasures Vol9.
Click on Exhibits for an up-to-date listing.
My love for detail was learned from my father, an Archaeological Illustrator. The Borthwick name is used in his honor and, for inspiration, some of my father's paintbrushes and pencils sit on my table.
Cedar Cone Section & Scales © Margaret Trent
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
Natural science illustration has provided me a way to combine a love of nature, a desire for detail and a hankering to create.
Beauty is everywhere in nature: the architecture of a cedar cone, the intricate arrangement of petals in a Chrysanthemum, the graceful curves and patterns in bird feathers. I like to incorporate nature’s imperfections in my work as well: the yellowed edge on a leaf, a little hole made by an insect.
With continued pressure on our fragile ecosystems it is my hope that even one of my drawings might bring both a sense of delight and awareness for our natural world.
Natural science illustration has provided me a way to combine a love of nature, a desire for detail and a hankering to create.
Beauty is everywhere in nature: the architecture of a cedar cone, the intricate arrangement of petals in a Chrysanthemum, the graceful curves and patterns in bird feathers. I like to incorporate nature’s imperfections in my work as well: the yellowed edge on a leaf, a little hole made by an insect.
With continued pressure on our fragile ecosystems it is my hope that even one of my drawings might bring both a sense of delight and awareness for our natural world.
Rhododendron augustinii