STORY BEHIND THE ART OF CAROL ASHTON-HERGENHAN

Weird, Wild, & Wonderful

Second New York Botanical Garden Triennial Exhibition

2014 - 2016

Hairy Drumstick Allium

Allium sphaerocephalon ‘Hair’

I considered several possible subjects for submission to this show. I paint from nature so the subject had to be something I already grew or had sufficient time to grow, study, and finally paint. I reviewed my garden records to see what might be available to paint at the right time. I narrowed it to three options, two with which I had experience (Celosia cristata and the seed pods of Liquidambar styraciflua) and this, Allium sphaerocephalon ‘Hair’. I grew this plant for the sole purpose of a possible subject for this exhibit. I chose it partly because, to my knowledge, it is not a widely painted subject, but mainly because this recent mutation of a Drumstick allium fits the criteria of this exhibition so well. What could be more weird than a plant whose leaves make curlicues, that produces both bulbils and florets of two different colors on the same inflorescence, plus has the wild hair of Medusa? This plant needed nothing from me to add to its wonderful variation!

I have been painting and drawing plants for more than 40 years. This piece fits into my more recent body of work which focuses on a specific element of a plant. I am drawn to the part of a plant which makes it unique and frequently use a subject at an “off” time, such as post bloom or dead, or from a different perspective such as exploring the inside. This approach sometimes precludes my work from more traditional botanical exhibitions which require a complete specimen. In this piece, only the flower head is depicted and the pedicels, from emergence to the start of decay, are the focus.

I approached this piece as I do all paintings, starting with drawings and positioning the subject for maximum interest. I then work on my palette, mixing samples until I have a match (to my eye at least.) If I have never painted the subject before, I do a practice painting to determine the best technique. If I need to compose a painting beyond what the plant offers in its current state, I design the composition, set up the specimens accordingly and start the execution. This painting offered several challenges. Since I had never painted ‘Hair’ before, I needed time to watch it grow and to practice before I did the final piece.

As it grew in the garden, the leaves alone created a wonderful graphic abstraction, but they didn’t meet the criteria of the show. I knew I had to capture the transparent fullness of the bud as it started to open. I developed a composition that would allow me to include that state as well as a more mature inflorescence. The cut specimens continued to grow and open in the studio. I did each one completely before moving on to the next one to minimize the effect of time. In terms of technique, this is a study in minimalism. The challenge in the opening bud was to use as little information as possible to achieve the translucent effect. The palette is limited and the large negative space is as important as the subject.

This painting captures three stages of a flower of wild looking allium from the time the inflorescence begins to open, through the emergence of individual buds, to open flowers, mature bulbils and the start of fading pedicels. During its growth the shape changes from a swollen, transparent bulb-shape bud to something resembling a purple sea urchin with long green undulating tendrils for spines. The transparency of the bud adds to the sense that something odd is about to burst forth. Hopefully, this painting gives a sense of movement and touch. I want the viewers to feel the floral elements emerging from their papery shell and get the sense that the tendrils would feel like alien hair if they touched your hand.

Botanical art is not a dry subject for Victorian explorers or ladies with little to do. It is a dynamic art form as current now as it was four thousand years ago when Egyptians began to decorate their tombs with the plants that were important to them. It incorporates all aspects of art: composition, meaning, artistic view, personal interpretation, creativity, and technique, with the added feature of botanical accuracy. It has a place in any art collection and deserves the same respect as any other art form. This exhibit continues that tradition and explores uniqueness in nature with an artistic eye. This piece in particular captures a plant that was recently a biological sport in a grower’s field and could not have been painted until that chance happening in nature occurred. It supports the theme of the exhibit and shows that plants and painting are timeless, yet never stagnant. 

I am honored that my piece has been selected to be shown along with the work of notable, recognized artists of our time.  

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