Ever since I read an article about Lara Call Gastinger in Gardens Illustrated, I've been a fan of her work. Lara is a botanical artist and illustrator from Charlottesville, Virginia (USA). Lara teaches botanical art and paints botanical art on commission. She also gives exhibitions with her botanical paintings. When you look at Lara's website, you immediately feel disappointed that you don't live near her to be able to follow a workshop. Lara trained as a botanist and then got the job for "The Flora of Virginia Project". That's a botanical reference guide to Virginia flowers. After a period of 10 years, it featured drawings of 1,300 plants, and the book was finally published in 2012.
I asked Lara if she would like to answer some questions for the blog. Fortunately, she thought it would be fun to answer some questions. Here we go!
How did you end up with botanical painting?
As I grew up, I always dreamed of a career where I could combine science with art. I studied Plant Ecology and then got a job as a botanical illustrator for "The Flora of Virginia Project". That was the perfect combination of botany and illustration. During this period I started working on my perpetual journal and watercolor paintings. Until today I continue to develop in this area.
Which part of the making of this guide was the most fun?
The part I enjoyed the most was gathering the plants in the field, and learning how to call them.
When did you know you wanted to be an artist rather than a botanist? How could you shift between these careers?
As soon as the Flora of Virginia was published, I started with some assignments and taught some lessons. A few years later I decided to register and start my company. I can still spend time in the field, the background in botany really adds something to my work.
What do you love most about making botanical art?
I love opening people's eyes to the unseen things in nature. Through my drawings I can show people things from nature that they have never seen before. I like the peace and quiet to work on a painting and to lose myself in it.
Can you tell us what a perpetual journal is? And how did you start with such a journal?
A perpetual journal is a journal with dates and then you come back to these pages every year. Each week you write a date and each week you make a suitable drawing. You only assign the year when you actually made a drawing. As a result, you have observations of several years on one page. If you skipped a year, you draw the next year on that page again.
Edit: As an example, every year you come back to the first week of March. Then you see that when the cherry blossom was already blooming. It's the perfect way to learn what which plant is or when they bloom. Furthermore, it is a wonderful way to go into nature and draw.
What do you like to illustrate the most?
I like to draw plants in decay or transition. During this period they reveal their pure basic structures. For example, I like to draw roots, seed pods, twisting vines and leaves with holes.
How much time do you spend illustrating per drawing or per day?
I work on several projects at the same time, so it is difficult to scale it back to the number of hours per painting. I try to work on projects from 8-3 a day at my desk. Some days I am busy with teaching, presenting or doing administrative tasks.
What's your favorite place to draw?
I love to paint in my home studio. It is a wonderful, peaceful place.
What projects are you currently working on?
I am painting a "bellflower" (campenula) that a scientist is studying. I also paint a large magnolia leaf and prepare a group show in NYC to be held in March 2019.
What kind of materials do you use on a daily basis?
I use Raphael Kolinsky sable brushes, Fabriano Artistico hot press paper and Schminke watercolor paint. I also use Micron pens in my Perpetual journals.
What plans do you have for the future?
I want to expand my teaching and travel a bit. I also think it would be amazing to publish a perpetual journal.
Check out Lara Call Gastinger's website, or follow her on Instagram.
Love,
Judith
Ps: More fun interviews will follow! Who would you like to see an interview with?
