Maximum Botanical Art
Maths, Art and Plants
Darwin, Australia, December 2021
It has been the most challenging and mysterious but breathtaking and festive workshop of the year. I have chosen the theme on the secrets of Nature, while observing, researching and understanding the interconnection between Maths, plants and the creation of beautiful botanical paintings.
We have discussed Ancient cosmological models and Platonic solids, symmetry in Nature and Euclidean geometry, Fibonacci sequence and golden ratio, Mandelbrot set and the harmonious order of the Universe.
The results have exceeded my expectations. The participants have been actively involved in the discussion and a follow-up creative activity. Their positive feedback and beautiful paintings motivate me greatly to run new workshops and to discover new interesting sides of botanical art.
Leo Tolstoy’s Childhood Flowers
Moscow, Russia, December 2021
My painting of Hypericum ascyron participates in a very interesting project. It is an exhibition that presents the plants, described by Leo Tolstoy’s mother in her diary in the beginning of the 19th century. Being the only daughter and an heiress to a large estate, she received an exemplary education, including botany. She researched and outlined the plants, grown in Yasnaya Polyana, their family estate near Moscow and Leo Tolstoy’s future home.
This exhibition is a metaphoric bridge between past and present, captured attention to pastoral landscapes and beautiful flora of the Moscow region 200 years ago and reflected in the novels of the great writer.
"Floressence"
Brisbane, Australia, November 2021
In November the major exhibition of the Botanical Artists’ Society of Queensland "Floressence" took place in Brisbane.
I presented Red-flowering kurrajong (Brachychiton megaphyllus) – a beautiful floral emblem of Darwin.
Its gorgeous scarlet flowers bloom during the dry season while the shrub is leafless. The beginning of the wet season wakes up the plant and for a while late flowers and young delicate leaves could be observed altogether. This magic moment is captured in the painting.
UN Climate Change Conference COP-26 and International Exhibition "Reflections"
Glasgow, UK, October-November 2021
I feel honored and pleased at the same time as my artwork “Spotted Mangrove” was chosen to be digitally displayed in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (United Kingdom), in support of the United Nations 26th Climate Change Conference-COP26 in Glasgow.
The Association of British Botanical Artists was inspired by the event and announced the international exhibition “Reflections” to emphasize the role of plants for the sustainable development of the planet. One of the six major COP26 themes became a key idea of the exhibition: “Nature – to safeguard and restore natural habitats and ecosystems to preserve the planet’s biodiversity”.
My painting was selected by jury among other best works to be displayed in the prestigious Shirley Sherwood Gallery at Kew. The concept of the painting is to highlight the importance of the mangroves of Casuarina Coastal Reserve and their pre-eminent role in the coastal ecosystem of the Northern Territory of Australia.
"Flora: The Art and Science
of the Plant 2021"
Hobart, Australia, October 2021
October 2021 was an intensive month, full of interesting events. One of them was an exhibition, organised by the Botanical Art Society of Australia in Tasmania “Flora: The Art and Science of the Plant 2021”.
My artwork was devoted to Pink Turkey Bush, which is an Australian endemic species, whose delicate mauve flowers bloom gracefully during the dry season.
The medium, used in the painting, was the combination of ink and watercolour because tiny details of Pink Turkey Bush demand very special approach.
Botanical Sketching & Journaling
Darwin, Australia, October 2021
The workshop of this month was devoted to botanical sketching and journaling. Besides the importance of capturing the peculiarities of species in its natural environment, it is also a habit of observation, feeling the Nature and cherishing every moment of life.
The participants were acquainted with the history of hand-made journals, containing elegant calligraphic texts and floral paintings. We observed different styles of journaling, including friendship, travel, perpetual and study journals.
During a two-day workshop the students practiced drawing with a combination of different medium, such as graphite, ink and watercolour and created lovely pages in their botanical sketchbooks.
Botanical Art Workshop
“Magic Christmas Story”
Darwin, Australia, 2020
The first Green Christmas in my life I celebrated with a nice group of like-minded people, attended my very special Christmas botanical art workshop. We discussed plants, associated with this holiday in different countries, such as Poinsettia in Mexico, Olive tree in Greece, Araucaria in India, Brazilian nut in Brazil, oranges and Pine trees in Russia and Protea in Australia.
The theoretical part of the workshop was devoted to direct sunlight Vs diffuse skylight in the paintings, conus-type flowers correct drawing, and depiction of hairy textures.
We created also lovely hand-made postcards and flipped through botanical books, while sipping caramel-flavored coffee and treating ourselves with a delicious chocolate cake during the recess.
And, of course, all the participants painted a glorious Protea that symbolizes diversity and transformation and is one of the remarkable Australian Christmas flowers.
Botanical Art Workshop
"Romantic Peonies"
Darwin, Australia, 2020
The Spring was in the air in Australia while in the Northern hemisphere it was late Autumn. It brought the blooming explosion of flowers, breathtaking scents and a lovely workshop of tender peonies.
The spirit of the workshop was romantic but theory was very serious though. The students worked out the composition laws, such as integrity, coherence and balance, and applied their knowledge in practice, studying the paintings of contemporary botanical artists and making their own examples.
Afterwards, we paid attention to the morphological features of Peonia Officialis L. and different types of peony flowers, made colour swatches, measurements, draft drawings and finally brilliant paintings.
Visual Art Exhibition "Immerse" at Darwin Entertainment Centre
Darwin, Australia, 2020
My first exhibition in Australia, held in a gorgeous gallery at Darwin Entertainment Centre, was opened on the 12th of October.
It is a great honor for me. I consider it as the first step of the realization of the creative part of my PhD research that is going to be conducted within the next few years in the Northern Territory of Australia.
I share this space with another artist, Katie Saunders, and I am really glad we could inspire social community.
Botanical Watercolor Workshop "Glossy Peppers"
Darwin, Australia, 2020
The second botanical watercolor workshop was devoted to gorgeous shiny capsicums and chili peppers. The objects were extremely challenging but the students worked hard and did it!
I am so proud of them! Some of the students continued working at home by themselves and sent me the successful results of their new watercolor projects.
I am really happy to have a chance not only to teach them but to show the way towards creativity that is as natural for all of us as to breathe.
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A series of my botanical art workshops started in August at CDU. Students enhanced their knowledge on color, light and shadow, composition. They also got acquainted with the peculiarities of botanical drawing and painting, nuances of field work and work in a studio.
Additionally, participants had an opportunity to watch a presentation and to listen to the history of botanical art, that is a part of my PhD research.
As a result of the workshop each of my students had a self-completed watercolor painting and got the recommendations on the further independent work.
Botanical Watercolor Workshop "Juicy Pears"
Darwin, Australia, 2020
One of the most significant projects of 2019 was an exhibition “Plants of the Moscow Red List”, organized by the Timiryazev State Museum of Biology and the Moscow City Government.
The artworks of the endangered and rare plant species have been presented in the Moscow subway, acquainting thousands of metro passengers with the plants.
I am very proud that two of my watercolor paintings (Campanula cervicaria and Campanula patula) have been contributed to the event and I strongly believe that such socially important eco-art projects can both change urban environment and develop social conciseness and eco-friendly culture.
Plants of the Moscow Red List, 2019
A beautiful exhibition “Scarlet Flower” took place in the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University “Apothecary's Garden” in Fall 2019.
The event was devoted to the fantasy world of the Russian author Sergey Aksakov and his famous fairytale “Scarlet Flower”.
My flower was presented by the Lilium pensylvanicum, rare, unique and breath-taking.
Scarlet Flower,
2019
Thanks to the cooperation of the Russian Botanical Society with the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University "Apothecary's Garden" a fascinating exhibition was organized in July-August 2018, where I presented two of my watercolor artworks "Lilium Pensylvanicum" and "Edelweiss".
All Flowers of the Rainbow, 2019
At the Moscow exhibition, organized by the Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve and the Russian Society of Botanical Illustration in May-July 2019, I presented my artwork "Bougainvillea Glabra", painted in the style of traditional botanical illustration, and a graphic work for textile with botanical patterns of the same plant in the style of modem fashion illustration.
It was really impressive to observe the plants of the Tsaritsyno Greenhouses next to their images in botanical illustrations and ornaments, presented by my colleagues and me.
Matamorphosis,
2019
On 16-26 May 2018, two of my artworks were presented at the Moscow exhibition "All Flowers of the Rainbow" supported by the Moscow Fund of Culture. The exposition was arranged from warm to cold shades, resembling a rainbow.
All Flowers of the Rainbow, 2018
I had the honour to present the wild plants of the Tyumen region and Zabaykalsky Kray at the international exhibition "Botanical Art Worldwide", held in Saint Petersburg in May 2018.
Russia participated for the first time alongside with the leading schools of botanical painting from 25 countries, including Great Britain, the United States of America, the Republic of South Africa, China, Japan and Australia.
The project was aimed at the enhancement of cooperation between institutions, scientists and botanical artists, attracting the society's attention towards the problem of biodiversity conservation.
Botanical Art Worldwide,
2018
