STORY BEHIND THE ART OF JEANNETTA VANRAALTE

21st Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at Wave Hill

Japanese Whie Pine Bonsai

Pinus parviflora

Although I have loved bonsai for many years - especially after I had seen such a great variety when I lived in Japan - last year was the first time I attempted to paint one. I am grateful to the New York Botanical Garden for sponsoring the Out of the Woods exhibition because it prompted me to submit three paintings of trees from the Brooklyn Botanical Garden’s bonsai collection. One of these, a Chinese elm bonsai, was accepted.

The Japanese white pine bonsai shown in this exhibit was selected as a subject because the bizarrely gnarled trunk, with its claw-like extension into the roots weaving themselves along the moss at the base, was fascinating to behold, as was the feathery effect of the pine needles fanning out from the gnarled branches.

The painting was done using gouache and watercolor on 300 lb. hot-pressed paper. The great technical challenge was doing so large a painting since the painted tree is the exact size of the actual one, and I had to paint upside-down at times. My hope is that viewers will have the same fascination I had on first seeing this amazing tree.

Next Story

Back to List

Read more about this artist’s work: America's Flora