Snakes Head Fritillary by maggie springett

Rather rarely seen where I come from: but a very beautiful botanical painting - I find these problematic: when they're hyper-accurate, they can be so terribly cold; no one has any use for paintings that are half way between accurate and impressionistic; I do rather like quick, but accurate impressions. Here, it seems to me, you have all the accuracy one could wish for, together with a real feeling that this is a plant one could encounter in the countryside - it's hard to think of some botanically accurate illustrations in that way: you could almost believe you'd never find them in anything other than sealed glass cases. Your painting has all the information a keen seeker after flowers in the wild could wish, with warm and real greens, and I feel one would recognize it if one saw it: and that's not always the case with representations of plants - not by a long way. It's also an artistic study in its own right: perhaps that's really why it works so well.

Thank you for your positive comments Robert . When I was painting it I became very involved in the movement of the plant and I am pleased that it is not just an illustration, but has feeling.I take a photograph of my painting and sometimes the background is not as light as I would like it so I turn up the brightness and can lose some of the more sensitive shades unfortunately. I will one day get the different tonal values right. I always prefer to paint from the real plant but a photo sometimes acts as a back up.

Lovely again Maggie, one of my favourite flowers. My collection appears to be dwindling, the lily beetle no doubt.

I agree with both Fiona and Robert and not only is it my favourite flower it's a difficult one to paint and you have done a very good job of it. You should be very pleased I know I would be.

Beutiful paintings Maggie. Your work is very delicate, but I do like the vivid colours you have brought out in your watercolours. Lovely work and thank you for your very kind comments on mine.