Monday 31 March 2014

My journey with the Burnet Rose



9th April 2013
 I began an exciting journey with  around 70 other artists.  We embarked on the alphabet project as a newly formed society called the Irish Society of Botanical Artists  I.S.B.A.  www.irishbotanicalartists.com




Each artist got a wild flower to paint around the first letter of its Irish name.  Tim O’Neill renowned calligrapher created a unique font for the project. I got the flower called the Burnet Rose, Briúlan or Rosa spinosissima (R.pimpinellifolia). Information on the flower is available on
 http://www.irishwildflowers.ie/pages/346a.html  and  http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/tetradmaps/


27th April
I collected my paper with the letter b from the Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin. I then began my search for the flower. It was seen on Bray Head in the past but I could not find it there.

30th April
I spotted it in the dunes in Brittas Bay Co.Wicklow. The leaves were coming and it was very small. My husband Pat took some pieces with roots and potted them up. He is just as mad about flowers and plants as I am. This piece has produced 3 buds this year 2014 under his care. Thank you Pat for all your support.
May 3rd
I brought the specimen to the Botanic Gardens and Brendan Sayers identified it as the Burnet Rose.

May 10th

Support meeting with Susan Sex in the Botanic Gardens. I brought my efforts of the rose and got valuable feedback. I learned how to improve the stem and  leaves . From now on I am to concentrate on the composition.  Susan brought her preparatory work for her stamp using the wild Irish Rose. What a beautiful piece of work.


May 20th

Burnet Rose

Image used for drawing

May 20th
I played around with the composition.Our finished piece must show a flower without petals, one in full bloom and one in half bloom. The distinguising features of the Burnet Rose is that it has very prickly stems and a black hip. These details will be added later.

                          
                                          
     
May 30th
I took lots of photos in Brittas bay. Here are some.







June
Spent a lot of time experimenting with colour. At this stage I needed a change this is when I embroidered the design on material. I have been stitching with the Ros Tapestry and have a blog about it called http://www.rostapestrystories.blogspot.ie/


Rose done in crewel embroidery


I also spent sometime putting the Burnet Rose on porcelain.


Irish wild rose in crochet


From now on I put a lot of time visiting Brittas Bay to see the rose at all its stages. I studied the pieces of  the flower, leaf, stems, buds and hips.









May 1st 2014

                               
                                                   



We had a great night at the exhibition.


Watercolour of Burnet Rose
Photo by Michael Hayes
http://www.michaelhayesphotography.ie/ 
                                                  
                       
                                       
    
                                                  
 
Work hanging in Botanic Gardens






Photos taken the night of the exhibition