Story behind the art of Victoria Braithwaite

27th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists and the Society of Illustrators

The Fool

Hippeastrum 'Red Lion'

I grow various amaryllis every year in the house from bulbs, as they brighten the short, dark days. This was the only time any have set seed, and therefore the first time I saw the dramatic seed pods and the richly textured coin-like seeds. As I watched them form, I knew I had to paint them.

The fading blooms hanging on were a huge bonus because they were such a contrast to the dark seeds. The combination made for a more interesting composition and painting. The blooms’ linear pattern reminded me of fading turmeric flowers or crispy hosta leaves, both of which I’ve painted in the past. I loved following the labyrinthine paths of the veins and hunting out the subtlety of the colors as they almost melted. 

Complex subjects like this give me so much satisfaction. There are always puzzles to be solved in terms of color matching, choosing the right technique to represent the texture and (as always) when to say ‘enough’ before things get too fussy. 

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