Chowwai Cheung
Fred Ingrams
Sophie Green
Day Bowman
Daisy Cook
Halima Cassell
Barbara Rae
Patrick Hughes
Bruce Mclean
Nelson Makamo
Sandra Blow
Tracey Emin
It's official, spring has sprung. The mornings are lighter, the flowers are blooming and it’s time for nature to take centre stage. So this week, inspired by the Royal Academy's 'Painting the Modern Garden' exhibit, we'll be giving you some ideas on how to bring nature back into your home…
There has never been a better time to pay homage to the garden than spring. The lull of winter is long gone and the splendour of nature is evident everywhere we look. The Royal Academy of Art's 'Painting the Modern Garden' exhibition showcases some of the world’s most renowned painters, whose art was inspired by gardens; be it their own land, or the various beautiful open gardens around the world.
Leading with the master of garden art, Monet, the exhibition at the RA takes the viewer on a journey, exploring some of the most important Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Avant-Garde artists of the early twentieth century as they portray the modern garden in its many wondrous forms. So, as a nod to the greats and gardens alike, here on the blog we share some of the Rise Art elite and their horticultural inspired masterpieces…
Cansick’s work in one word has to be charming. Fascinated by nature, her atmospheric landscapes explore the striking scenery that sits right on her doorstep. Her woodland impressions use light and colour to draw the viewer’s eye into the painting. Cansick’s landscape series in particular was one of her first forays into experimenting with colour, moving away from a muted palette as a way of better highlighting nature’s abundant greens.
McLean’s work is bold and enticing to the eye. At first you’re drawn in by the clean shapes and bright colours, but the more you look, the more you notice a story in the detail. Within this piece in particular, the vibrant colours and textures within the flowers and leaves are in themselves reflective of the nature of healing. From an aesthetic perspective, his confident approach to printmaking, alongside his combination of luminous colours and collage compositions give his works a remarkably expressive quality.
Rising Sun Lake, Lilies
Alison Chaplin
I am really drawn to Alison Chaplin's works. I feel almost as if I am walking through the woodland listening to the water ripple myself - as opposed to the boring reality of staring dreamily at my laptop screen! Chaplin takes inspiration from Epping Forest, opposite her home. Her woodland compositions explore the texture of foliage and the effects of the light on the forest, shining through the leaves and casting shadows on the woodland floor.
Bullfinch, Great Tit and Roses
I love the use of composition and colour in this piece. Using a romantic style, and a clean, bold colour palette, Duttson's creates digital prints that are wonderfully eye-catching. His work explores nature, but rather than depicting natural scenes, instead he creates meticulous individual observations. The roses were painstakingly drawn from his studio in Devon, and the birds were observed on a visit to the Natural History Museum.
Daisy Skye uses gloss paint on aluminium to create fresh interpretations of iconic London Parks. Skye’s use of bright colours really captures the vibrancy of nature, whilst her use of modern materials give her pieces a reflective intensity, making it near-impossible to take your eyes off them!
The garden in its many forms has inspired countless artists over the decades. It has given them the opportunity to explore the ever-changing world around them, experiment with new techniques, and illustrate nature through their own eyes. Explore our collection of nature themed works and bring some of nature’s art back into your home this spring.