STORY BEHIND THE ART OF SUSAN MINTUN
22nd Annual International
American Society of Botanical Artists at Marin Art & Garden Center
Slipper Orchid
Paphiopedilum Pitchweb x Wood Wonder
I enjoy trying to record a plant’s “story” as it passes through its stages of growth and development. The flower of this slipper orchid (so named because of the labellum’s resemblance to a lady’s shoe) grew very slowly, allowing me plenty of time to observe and paint it as it unfurled. While the flower was still partially closed, I chose to do a graphite rendering at actual size so the flower could be seen in context with the plant as a whole.
The next step was to paint the open flower larger than life in order to portray the peculiar form, color and detail of the bloom. Paphiopedilums have a variety of unique adaptations designed to increase the likelihood of pollination. One of these adaptations is the unusual shape of the labellum. The inside of this “pouch” is lined with slippery cells except in one very specific area, which is instead equipped with upward pointing hairs. If a visiting insect falls into the pouch the only way it can escape is to use these hairs as a ladder. The escape path leads the insect directly past the anthers, where it picks up pollen on its body, then brushes those grains onto the sticky stigma as it bumbles about trying to find an exit.
The last part of the project was to dissect the flower for a look with a microscope at some of the organs that often go unnoticed. The detail drawing to the right shows the arrangement of the two tiny anthers, the stigma and the column. These reproductive parts are normally hidden from view by the butterfly-shaped staminode just above the pouch, so they may be missed by the casual observer. But, with their own beautiful forms, and as essential elements for plant reproduction, they are worthy of a close look. The second diagram is a cross-section of the ovary, illustrating its chambered construction and miniscule ovules.
Botanical processes and forms, both morphological and anatomical, are endlessly fascinating, and my goal is for viewers to be fascinated, too. If a viewer’s curiosity is piqued, then the painting has done its job.
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