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artist profile: Dilys McIntyre, UK

ARTIST STATEMENT

"My interest in botanical painting began at age 8 when my aunt painted a flower in my autograph book. I later discovered in our attic a folder of my great grandmother’s botanical paintings on rice paper which she had painted in the East Indies. Art was always my favourite subject at school, and I won prizes every year from the Royal Drawing Society, but missed going to art college because of illness. Marriage and children then kept me too busy to paint until the children were at university.

I finally fulfilled my ambition at the age of 50 when I won a place at Winchester school of art. By this time I had become fascinated with textiles and took my degree in textile design for fashion. I freelanced for a few years as a knitwear designer, but soon realised my heart was not really in the fashion industry. At this point I was asked to paint botanical designs for some product labels, and I finally decided to return to my original love of painting flowers in watercolours.

I paint whatever flowers and fruit I can find, and have no scientific botanical knowledge or training apart from what I learned at school. I do not see this as a problem, as it is the looking and studying of the details with a fresh eye that is important. Detailed botanical painting can be very demanding, and in order to refresh myself I will paint a still life, or go out 

and sketch landscapes. My time at art school taught me to work in almost any medium, and in addition to painting I enjoy making three dimensional work in wire, papier mâché or textiles.

I exhibit regularly at the Royal Horticultural Society Gardens here in Devon, and have exhibited at Sausmarez Manor for the Guernsey Flower Festival. My work sold very well at Battersea Affordable Art Fair in 2002. I print my own cards, notelets and calendars, which are popular at exhibitions. In December 2003 my work was featured in Artists and Illustrators magazine and won their Members Gallery prize."

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CONTEMPORARY AND MODERN ORIGINAL WATERCOLOUR PAINTINGS AND ARTWORKS FOR SALE BY UK ARTIST ONLINE