The Rose Stories

I wanted to give a little more information here about this part of my art practice, a journey which began just over 10 years ago, and to warmly welcome you to these - my explorations into the intriguing worlds of the rose.

It has been fascinating to research into their many historical and cultural references, to explore the diverse forms and colours of many different roses, their solidity and transparency, a dance with love, loss, intimacy, and memory.

A contradictory world of symbolic potency, of far away scents and distant times have mixed with ancient Herbals and Physic gardens, notions of 'Home' and my local walks along the hedges and bridlepaths around my village and in my own garden.

Over the years I have used dried or pressed flowers, photography, watercolours, handmade mineral paints and drawings using graphite and coloured pencils and sculptural pieces made from dried specimens along the way.

In some pieces in this body of work I have chosen to use a more scientific methodology and approach, as in the watercolour painting of the Rosa damascena which was commissioned for The Illustrated College Herbal by the Royal College of Physicians, and another watercolour painting of Rosa rubiginosa which was selected for the Botanical Art Worldwide Exhibition in 2018.

Whilst other pieces contain more layered narratives, which I often hint at in their titles, and where I use roses as metaphor to express other complex ideas, emotions and stories.

If you would like to contact me about my work, please do, I would love to hear from you.

Julia