Janie Pirie awarded Certificate of Botanical Merit

Cydonia oblonga 'Vranja' - Quince
by Janie Pirie SBA, UKCPS, GM
awarded a Certificate of Botanical Merit
by the Society of Botanical Artists

UKCPS member Janie Pirie wrote to me this week to let fellow UKCPS members know about the coloured pencil work at the Annual Exhibition of the Society of Botanical Artists at Central Hall, Westminster (in Storey's Gate opposite Westminster Abbey).

The exhibition continues until 25th April and is open every day 10.00 to 5.00pm

I had a good look around at the exhibition and there were some beautiful pieces of work in coloured pencil. We really are growing as more and more people realise that you can ‘paint’ with pencils and they have a wonderful quality and a depth of colour that can bring a piece of work to life. Out of the 700 paintings hung 59 of them were coloured pencil only and several others were a mixture of coloured pencil and another medium.

Janie was also very pleased to be able to announce that one of her pieces of work was awarded a Certificate of Botanical Merit. You can see this image above.

These are not handed out lightly so I was thrilled to get one. The piece of work was a Quince on the bough, the blossom and the disected fruit.

This week, I'll also be highlighting Ann Swan's new book Botanical Portraits with Colored Pencils which also includes Janie's Cascading Cherries picture in the gallery of coloured pencil artwork at the back of the book.

Ann Swan will be demonstrating at the exhibition on Tuesday 20th April.