Story behind the art of John Pastoriza-Pinol
27th Annual International
American Society of Botanical Artists and the Society of Illustrators
Snake's Head Fritillary
Fritillaria meleagris
For this year's exhibition, I chose to submit a piece that I created during my time at Oak Spring Garden Foundation’s Botanical Artist in Residence Program in 2023. I was fortunate to be there during the peak of spring, surrounded by a stunning array of spring flowering bulbs and ephemerals carefully grown and curated amongst the wonderful structural legacy from Rachel “Bunny” Mellon.
A few years ago, artist Susannah Blaxill (of Mittagong, Australia) gave me two pieces of Rory McEwen vellum. This generous gift prompted me to carefully consider what subject I wanted to paint. I ultimately decided to tackle the intricate patterns found in the tessellated tepals of the snake's head fritillary, Fritillaria meleagris. Fritillaria were a favorite genus of Rory's, and in the garden at Oak Spring only a few remained that were slated for removal to make room for the next wave of blooms. While I had hoped to also capture the Fritillaria persica, unfortunately it had already finished blooming by the time I arrived.
One of the great benefits of participating in an art residency is the opportunity to have dedicated time and resources for creating art without the usual distractions of everyday life and administrative tasks. During my five-week residency, I established a morning routine of breakfast and coffee before settling into the sunroom to work on my paintings. Occasionally, wildlife such as rabbits or chipmunks would visit me, as well as the resident cat “Buddie,” who was always eager to say hello. I also had the pleasure of collaborating with esteemed botanical artists like Beverly Allen, Carol Woodin, and Jean Emmons, who would join me in the sunroom for painting sessions, chocolate breaks, and moments of relaxation.
At the conclusion of the residency, I presented the progress I had made on my projects. Following this, I was able to resume work while at my next destination, the Chicago Botanic Garden, where the Fritillaria were still in bloom. I completed the project upon returning home to Australia in the southern hemisphere’s late winter when I only had to wait a few more weeks for the flowers to bloom again. Some close friends of mine are developing a country garden in Blackwood, near Trentham, just outside of Melbourne. They have a large pot of Fritillaria bulbs in their Japanese garden, which seem to be resilient to being consumed by rabbits and kangaroos.
Working on vellum coated with a gesso layer presented a unique challenge. My artist colleague Mali Moir advised me to carefully sand down the surface to smooth out the gessoed coating. This process required a significant amount of time and precise application of a fine sandpaper, such as a 2500-grade jeweler’s sandpaper.
As I write this, a traveling exhibition featuring the works of Rory McEwen is touring the US and the timing of this exhibition at Wellesley College, Boston, is concurrent with the ASBA 27th Annual International. I aimed to capture Rory's unique style while still making the painting my own. It was important to me to respect his work while adding my personal touch. Working on his original vellum made this project particularly special. I hope I honored his legacy through my contribution.
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Read more about this artist's work: 26th Annual