Botanical illustration has become a consuming passion for me. Since first encountering this art form in Austin, TX, I’ve been captivated by the process of depicting plant species. There is a profound connection that forms as I observe these vegetal beings and attempt to portray them. In a sense, the plants become collaborators, guiding me as I work to capture their intricate structures and subtle presences.

I began in 2022, while searching for a course to revive my long-neglected artistic skills and to learn how to paint plants—a subject that had long been present in my photographic practice. I enrolled in a botanical art short course at The Contemporary Austin Art School, and the entire world of plant portraiture opened up. Recognizing the precision and discipline the practice demands, I went on to complete a Certificate in Botanical Illustration at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), received scholarships for specialized classes at the Denver Botanic Gardens’ School of Botanical Art and Illustration, and am currently pursuing a Diploma in Botanical Illustration at the Society of Botanical Artists (SBA), UK.

However, while botanical illustration is undeniable a visually rewarding and attractive practice,  it is also one marked by inherent tensions. It exists at the intersection of science and art, balancing between the objectification of plants and the honoring of their integrity as living entities. This raises a critical question: how do we approach plants in a way that respects their essence while acknowledging their individuality within their environment?

I quote from Wikipedia > “Botanical illustration is the art of depicting the form, color, and details of plant species. They are generally meant to be scientifically descriptive about subjects depicted and are often found printed alongside a botanical description in books, magazines, and other media. Some are sold as artworks. Often composed by a botanical illustrator in consultation with a scientific author, their creation requires an understanding of plant morphology and access to specimens and references.”

While accurate, this definition only scratches the surface of what botanical illustration can represent.

Botanical illustration has a long history rooted in the human need to study, classify, and use plants. Since the 1st century BCE, artists have accompanied physicians to visually describe plants with medicinal properties and assisted scientists in recording biological details of flora. During the height of European colonial expansion, from the 16th to the 19th centuries, botanical illustration played a central role in the conquest and exploitation of foreign territories. Explorers cataloged vast numbers of unfamiliar species, meticulously describing and illustrating their structures, behaviors, and chemical properties. These illustrations not only advanced intellectual control but also enabled the systematic exploitation of natural resources across colonized lands.

With the advent of photography, botanical illustration entered a period of decline. However, in recent years, we have witnessed a revival, driven by motives almost opposite to those of its golden age. As we face a global crisis of biodiversity and mass plant extinction, contemporary botanical illustration helps make endangered and native species visible. In this way, it becomes a tool for environmental awareness and preservation.

In the realm of contemporary art, botanical illustration holds the potential to assume new dimensions. Freed from the strict confines of scientific documentation, it becomes a platform for critical reflection on the human-plant relationship. While these portraits retain their visual beauty, they also serve as conceptual devices, prompting us to question the ways we objectify nature and encouraging a deeper reconsideration of our interactions with the vegetal world.

DRAWING TOWARDS THE ROOTS