Botanical art to go on display in latest exhibitio

The Scottish Ornithologists’ Club is delighted to present an exhibition of contemporary botanical art.

This will bring together paintings by members of the Scottish Society of Botanical Artists (SSBA), alongside sculptures by Ellen McCann.

Botanical painting has a long and important history. It was used to record the nature of plants for scientific and medicinal purposes and continues to support scientific research as botanical illustration.

While also steeped in the accurate observation of nature, Botanical Art differs from scientific botanical illustration by placing more emphasis on the aesthetic value of the plant.

The work in this exhibition, while always botanically correct, falls in this second category where detailed observation generates in the artist, and the viewer, a reflection on the beauty of nature.

The Scottish Society of Botanical Artists, founded in 2014, provides a forum for botanical artists from all over Scotland to meet, share expertise, exhibit work and generally promote interest in botanical art. A cross-section of its membership is represented in the exhibition.

Which Way, a sculpture by Ellen McCann

Ellen McCann’s sculptures complement the exhibition by offering a very personal response to the subject. Ellen takes her inspiration from the growth patterns of plants to create sculptures that distil the essence of the natural form using ceramics and metal. She lives and works in Biggar.

The exhibition runs from Saturday 19 January until Wednesday 27 February. It will be open daily, 10am to 4pm, at The Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, Aberlady, East Lothian, EH32 0PY

The Scottish Ornithologists’Club is Scotland’s national bird club with over 3000 members and a network of 15 branches across Scotland which host a programme of talks, discussions and outings from the Borders to Orkney and beyond.