Biography

Ann works primarily in graphite and coloured pencil.  She is well known for her fine detail, vibrant colours and strong contemporary style. She favours the underdog or the unusual in the plant world, drawing our attention to their beauty through her striking compositions. She is constantly experimenting with her chosen medium, trying to achieve a more painterly effect and ever brighter colours and has recently started a series of ‘Larger than Life’ images magnifying small sections of plants and pushing the boundaries of botanical art a bit further.

Ann is passionate about coloured pencils believing they are easy to master, forgiving and accessible so that even a complete beginner can very quickly produce work of quality. Recently retired from many years exhibiting at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and judging on the RHS Picture Panel she now devotes her energies to teaching and is happy to pass on all her techniques and knowledge. She runs workshops at her studio in Wiltshire, online and around the world including Europe, Africa and the USA although latterly these have mainly been on Zoom.

Ann’s popular book ‘Botanical Painting with Coloured Pencils’ is published by Harper Collins and available in the USA as ‘Botanical Portraits in Colored Pencil’ and now also available translated in South Korean. Her ‘Creative Colour Mixing’ Workbook has just been published in a third edition. Her work is represented in the prestigious Shirley Sherwood collection and features in many private collections around the world including the RHS Lindley Library.  

  • 1991 RHS Gold Medal
  • 1993 RHS Gold Medal
  • 1994 Silver Medal 14th World Orchid Conference
  • 1997 RHS Gold Medal
  • 1999 RHS Gold Medal (jointly with Gillian Barlow and Pauline Dean)

Awards

  • 2004 SBA President’s Award for work in other media (shared)
  • 2004 SBA People’s Choice for the ‘Teasel’
  • 2011 SBA Suzanne Lucas Memorial Award
  • 2011 UKCPS 3rd Best in Show for ‘Oriental Poppy’
  • 2011 UKCPS People’s Choice Coloured Pencil (shared) for ‘Oriental Poppy’
  • 2011 UKCPS People’s Choice Mixed Media (shared) for ‘Merlot’
  • 2012 SBA Certificate of Botanical Merit ‘Walnut Life Cycle’
  • 2016 UKCPS Best in Show ‘Larger than Life’ – Nectarines
  • 2016 UKCPS Best Flower, Fruit or Vegetable – ‘Larger than Life’ – Nectarines
  • 2021 SBA Award of ‘Exhibiting Excellence’ for Solandra grandiflora
  • 2021 UKCPS ‘Highly Commended’ for Solandra grandiflora
  • 2022 Oexman Art Award Competition – Highlly Commended ‘Larger than Life’ – Muscatel Grapes
  • 2022 UKCPS Highly Commended – ‘Corn on the Cob’

Pictures purchased by the RHS Lindley Library

  • ‘Parasol Trio’ 2006
  • ‘Prickly Pear’ 2008
  • ‘American Corn’ 2009

Publications

  • ‘Botanical Painting with Coloured Pencils’ – Harper Collins
  • ‘Plant Portraits in Colored Pencil’ – (US Version of the above)
  • ‘Creative Colour Mixing Workbook’ – available from Ann 
  • ‘Botanical Illustration – The Gold Medal Winners’ – Charlotte Brooks RHS
  • ‘Botanical Illustration from Life’ – Isik Guner, Search Press
  • ‘Botanical Art Techniques – A Comprehensive Guide’ Carole Woodin & Robin Jess – The American Society of Botanical Artists
01380 724788
Rowde Court Studio, Marsh Lane, Rowde, Wiltshire, SN10 2NW
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