Story behind the art of Dianne Sutherland

29th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists and the Society of Illustrators

Paintbrush Lily

Haemanthus coccineus

Many years ago, a paintbrush lily (Haemanthus coccineus) sat on my studio windowsill. I was very fond of it– not only for its beautiful white flower, but because it had been given to me by a good friend. Sadly, I missed the opportunity to paint it because it was damaged during a house move and died. The genus Haemanthus, often called paintbrush lilies, has always fascinated me for its unusual brush like flowerhead packed with small, pollen rich florets.

As an artist, I’ve been fortunate to travel widely in search of plants, and in 2019 I was in South Africa for the first time. I was at Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden illustrating another species for the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Florilegium when I came across a different member of the genus, the red flowered Haemanthus coccineus, growing in the glasshouse. Later, I encountered it again in the wild at several locations. It is a most unusual plant; unlike H. albiflos, which is evergreen, H. coccineus sends up its flowerhead through the soil before the leaves appear, giving it an almost reptilian appearance as it pushes through the dry, rocky ground.

Like so many South African plants, it was captivating to see, and definitely one for my travel sketchbook. I carved out a little time to make studies from life–quick sketches, color notes, and even the beginnings of a draft composition. I also took many photographs of the plant in situ before returning home. I felt I had captured several stages of its growth, hopefully enough to develop a simple classic composition upon my return home. That’s the beauty of the sketchbook for me; it ensures I don’t miss the chance to record a plant, which is what had happened with H. albiflos.

Sometime later, while leafing through my sketchbook, I decided to turn those memories of the paintbrush lily into a small painting as a reminder of my travels and this piece is the result.

Since then, I’ve managed to source Haemanthus albiflos again, and it now sits on my studio windowsill once more. With luck, it will flower for the first time next year. I’ve already captured the leaves and await the flower; hopefully the Haemanthus story will come full circle when I finally paint it.

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