STORY BEHIND THE ART OF DOROTHY DEPAULO
15th Annual International
American Society of Botanical Artists at
The Horticultural Society of New York
Hens and Chicks
Echeveria sp.
Tell me about your artwork, for instance in terms of media, colors, composition.
This one is all colored pencil on drafting film. I worked on both the front and back of the film to get a feeling of depth, and to intensify some of the colors.
I almost always use drafting film (Mylar is one type, but I use double-sided Grafix 0.003in). I find that I can get details easily on it. I usually use colored pencil on the front. But on the back, I also like mixed media. I may paint with acrylics to intensify the color or get a darker color. I have also used inks or watercolor washes on the back. It depends on the effect I want to achieve. There is so much you can do with drafting film – you can layer it over decorative paper as well. I have been using drafting film for 15 to 20 years, and I haven’t yet exhausted the possibilities. Only occasionally do I work on paper.
Why did you choose this subject to portray?
The hens and chicks is one of my favorite plants in the garden. It was in the garden 40 years ago when we moved in to our home. It always thrives, whether or not I pay it attention. It is a little plant; the biggest “mother” is only 3” or 4” in diameter. In life, it is usually hidden under something else. But I wanted to make it important and show it off, so my hens and chicks are much bigger than in real life.
A part of this current work was on the cover of The Botanical Artist recently and I am really proud of that. There are so many fantastic artists in this organization. I feel honored to be a part of them. This is my first time in the Hort show.
Did you face any unique challenges as you worked on this piece?
The biggest challenge was the size – it took a long time. Also, getting the composition right was like solving a jig-saw puzzle. I had to fit the pieces together correctly to get it to look right as a whole.
What would you hope people would notice or appreciate when viewing this work?
Because it is so often missed, I want people to really look at the plant. I want them to see the actual colors and shapes and how it grows, in circles and waves.
As I was painting, my husband said “don’t you get tired of doing all green?” But it’s not all green – there are a lot of other colors too.
How does this work relate to your body of work?
I have a project that I’m working on with my artist-friend, Heidrun Snyder. There is a local park/wild life refuge near our homes in Lakewood, Colorado. We decided to depict the flora and fauna of that park for an exhibition in 2014. This echevaria painting will be part of that project, as it also exists at the park.
Until we started this project, I had looked at some of the individual plants, but not how they each related to the environment as a whole. When I started to draw, I saw things I had never seen before, and I got a better understanding of not only this plant, but also how it survives, and how it relates to other plants and animals in the area.
I believe that being a botanical artist should be more than just drawing “pretty plants”. I feel I have an obligation to show others that as individuals, we’re all a part of a whole, and we all have a place in the garden of the world.
This project started out to be just drawing a few plants for a show, but I can see it becoming my life’s work to learn about, and educate others about our environment.
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