Welcome to my website!
I am an award winning contemporary botanical artist creating highly detailed work in a variety of media. Inspired by the natural world around me, my favourite subjects are autumnal and vegetable, often found while walking in the beautiful Kent countryside around my home or picked from my garden. I particularly enjoy the challenge of portraying a subject in motion using a mixture of loose and more detailed style in the same picture.
After completing a fine art degree at Canterbury Art College I became interested in Botanical Art on a trip to Kew Gardens inspiring me to paint subjects from nature that I love and consequently leading me to a career as a full-time artist beginning in 1995.
Submitting my first pictures to the Society of Botanical Artists in 2004, I was delighted to be awarded full membership in 2009. In 2019 I was awarded Associate membership of the Society of Graphic Fine Art.
As an Artist and Illustrator of subjects from nature, I work as much as possible from life. My style has evolved significantly over the last five years, with my current work focusing on movement and composition within the picture space. I have a passion for the detail I can create using coloured pencils. I am also drawn to experimenting with a variety of materials, some not traditionally used for botanical art and, as a result, have developed my own technique combining acrylic ink and coloured pencil.
My other love is creating handmade individual artists books. These beautiful, one-off pieces have a nature or Botanical theme and contain original artwork. You can see some of these in the Artist Books section of the website.
I have exhibited in many locations and have sold work both at home and abroad including, among others: the USA, Europe and China. I was delighted to be awarded the Great Art Award at the 2014 Society of Botanical Artists Exhibition. I show my work at the yearly exhibitions of the Society of Botanical Artists and the Society of Graphic Fine Art at the Mall Galleries, London.
I teach Botanical watercolour and colour pencil at a variety of locations around the country. See my News page for my latest courses. I am also available for workshops and demonstrations to art societies and private groups. I believe in teaching the individual and am a patient, encouraging tutor. I aim to provide plenty of demonstrations and one-to-one help in a relaxed, positive environment. Please contact me using the email found in the contact area of this site, which you can access here.
Have a look around my website or follow me on Facebook and Instagram to find out what I do, where I teach and exhibitions I am currently involved in
Amber Halsall. SBA. ASGFA 