Botanical Scotia resources for the Worldwide Day of Botanical Art in 2025

Botanical Scotia resources for the Worldwide Day of Botanical Art in 2025

Heritage crops, diversity & sustainability

This exhibition will focus on celebrating biodiversity in the crops that have been closely associated with the human species over thousands of years, specifically; Heritage CropsCrop Wild Relatives and Ancient Crops. Please download the guidelines to find more in-depth information on these categories and how to enter.

Botanical Scotia resources for the Worldwide Day of Botanical Art in 2025 are now available for you to access including;

The full Guidelines to Artists

The Intention to Submit form

Illustration sizes and framing requirements

Specimen Plant Lists 

Contemporary Botanical Art 17 January – 25 February 2024

This exhibition presents new work by members of the Scottish Society of Botanical Artists (SSBA) alongside sculptures by Ellen McCann. For this exhibition, and to reflect the charitable aims of the SOC, the artists have taken their inspiration from plants found in the wild in Scotland. These plants, wild flowers, trees, brambles and weeds form part of the habitat of wild birds and pollinators, and indeed visiting birds and insects are included in some of the paintings! The SSBA promotes and encourages botanical art in Scotland. It is an inclusive organisation whose membership ranges from those relatively new to botanical art to professional artists. They work in a variety of media including watercolour, acrylic, coloured pencil, graphite and ink. 

 

The paintings are accompanied by sculptures by Ellen McCann. Her ceramic sculptures are inspired by plants in transition – gently moving towards opening up, inviting us to imagine what they might become. Ellen’s sculptures are made with stoneware clay constructed using slabs and coils, then carved, glazed and fired to 1250 degrees. They can be placed indoors or outdoors, and indeed there will be some sculptures in the garden at the SOC. Ellen is the recipient of a number of awards and travelling scholarships. She is based near Biggar.

Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC)
Waterston House, Aberlady, EH32 0PY
Open Wed-Sun (10-4)
www.the-soc.org.uk

About the SOC: the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC) promotes the study, conservation and enjoyment of wild birds and their habitats in Scotland.

 

 

SSBA 9th Annual Exhibition

At the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club in Aberlady
From 17th January to 25th February 2024
The gallery is open Wednesdays to Sundays from 10:00am to 4pm.

One of the aims of the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club is to ‘support the conservation of wild birds and their habitats throughout Scotland’. This exhibition will, therefore, reflect the habitat of wild birds with paintings depicting plants found in the wild, natural environment in Scotland, from wildflower meadows to garden weeds!

We will again be including cards and mini-paintings, at very affordable prices.

SSBA Botanical Art Introductory and Intermediate courses in the south and north of Scotland

The SSBA is delighted to announce that the SSBA Botanical Art Introductory and Intermediate courses in the south and north of Scotland are now available to apply for the autumn 2023 Introductory courses, or to note interest in the April 2024 Intermediate courses.

The courses are available due to the award to the SSBA of the Finnis Scott Foundation Botanical Art Prize. This is a biennial prize of £10,000 awarded to support and promote the practice of botanical art.

The courses are open to SSBA members and members of the public who are interested in learning and developing their botanical art skills.

The courses will be provided free of charge to participants, although they will have to pay for their own travel, accommodation, breakfast, dinner and recommended art materials.

If you live in the south or north of Scotland, would you be interested in attending? Or do you know anyone who would like to learn or develop their skill?

More information is available in the attached information document and we encourage anyone interested to apply or note their interest (follow the links in the document).

 SSBA Botanical Art Courses Information Click Here

SSBA 8th Annual Exhibition

We’re very excited to showcase our members work at the SSBA 8th Annual Exhibition

March 25th to April 30th
at
The Maclaurin Art Gallery
Rozelle Estate
Ayr
KA7 4NQ

Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm
Sunday 12 noon to 5pm
The opening event will be on 25th March at 2pm and all members and friends are welcome to attend this.

Following on from the success of our mini paintings last year, we have included affordable mini paintings again this year.

 

SSBA Botanical Art Courses Information

The SSBA is delighted to announce that the SSBA Botanical Art Introductory and Intermediate courses in the south and north of Scotland are now available to apply for the April and May 2023 courses, or to note interest in the October 2023 and April 2024 courses.

The courses are available due to the award to the SSBA of the Finnis Scott Foundation Botanical Art Prize. This is a biennial prize of £10,000 awarded to support and promote the practice of botanical art.

The courses are open to SSBA members and members of the public who are interested in learning and developing their botanical art skills.

The courses will be provided free of charge to participants, although they will have to pay for their own travel, accommodation, breakfast, dinner and recommended art materials.

If you live in the south or north of Scotland, would you be interested in attending? Or do you know anyone who would like to learn or develop their skill?

More information is available in the attached information document and we encourage anyone interested to apply or note their interest (follow the links in the document).

 SSBA Botanical Art Courses Information Click Here

2023 SSBA calendar

2023 SSBA calendar

We are delighted to announce that our 2023 SSBA calendar is now available for sale and features 14 paintings by SSBA members.

The cover features an agapanthus by member Victoria Braithwaite. The back cover gives a snapshot of the member paintings for each month.

Please contact newsletter@thessba.org for more information or to place an order click here

AUTUMN GLORY – SSBA 7th Annual Exhibition

AUTUMN GLORY – SSBA 7th Annual Exhibition

SSBA 7th Annual Exhibition
October 6th to 30th

Fire Station Creative
Carnegie Drive
Dunfermline
Fife
KY12 7AND

Open Wednesday, Thursday 10am to 5pm
Friday, Saturday 10am to 10pm
Sun 11am to 4pm
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Opening evening Thursday 6th October, 7pm  to 10pm

2022 Exhibition Application Instructions
2022 Exhibition Application Form

This year we will be including a new category of easily affordable paintings, so visit early before they’re all gone!

BOTANICAL ART COURSES, SCOTLAND

The SSBA is delighted to announce that the SSBA Botanical Art Introductory and Intermediate courses in the south and north of Scotland are now available for booking of the October 2022 or to note interest in the April 2023, October 2023 and April 2024 courses.

The courses are available due to the award to the SSBA of the Finnis Scott Foundation Botanical Art Prize. This is a biennial prize of £10,000 awarded to support and promote the practice of botanical art.

The courses are open to SSBA members and members of the public who are interested in learning and developing their botanical art skills.

The courses will be provided free of charge to participants, although they will have to pay for their own travel, accommodation, breakfast, dinner and recommended art materials.

If you live in the south or north of Scotland, would you be interested in attending? Or do you know anyone who would like to learn or develop their skill?

More information is available in the attached information document and we encourage anyone interested to apply or note their interest (follow the links in the document).

 SSBA Botanical Art Courses Information Click Here

SSBA Win Prestigious Finnis Scott Foundation Botanical Art Prize

The SSBA have been awarded the Finnis Scott Foundation Botanical Art Prize. This is a biennial prize of £10,000 awarded to support and promote the practice of botanical art.

Most Botanical Art courses are held in the central belt of Scotland, yet the SSBA has members from all over the country. In order to help those who live in more remote areas, we will provide tutor led courses in the north and south of Scotland. These courses will be open to SSBA members and members of the public who are interested in learning and developing their botanical art skills.

Over 2 years we will run 8 weekend courses, free of charge to participants, although they will have to pay for their own travel, accommodation and meals and recommended art materials.

Year 1 there will be 2 beginner courses in autumn and 2 in spring. Year 2 there will be 2 intermediate courses in autumn and 2 in spring. There will be 12 places per course.

We are delighted that this funding allows us to realise plans we’ve had for some time to aid those who don’t have easy access to face to face courses taught by experienced tutors in areas out with the central belt.

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