Emerge: Natural Design

An exhibition of contemporary botanical illustration in pen and ink by Marianne Hazlewood

My new work has roots in a few areas, emergent growth, pattern and plant architecture.

I have been working with the exotic genus Arisaema for several years now. I plant them each spring and watch the tubers develop. It is a joy to watch them slowly un-crumple, and grow. Each species has a different botanical architecture, and the flowers, with their highly patterned spathes are among the strangest in the world.

This work focuses on these aspects and is inspired by the plant photography of Karl Blossfeldt. I love the way Blossfeldt exploited symmetry, recurring structure and ‘natural design’. I have been exploring this in the plants that I grow, capturing their own natural design in these pen and ink illustrations.

When my plants are growing, I turn them, to investigate from all sides. I love to see how they are packaged. I am endlessly fascinated with the silhouettes they form, their architecture and the patina. I want to tell part of their story, and mine through these pieces. I hope you will enjoy these aspects as much as I have in the making of these works.