Orchid paintings and drawings on show in Hong Kong show botanical artist’s eye for the small details
- After retiring as a horticulturalist, Mark Isaac-Williams, 81, became artist-in-residence at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden from 2012 to 2020
- His exhibition there, featuring different orchid species, include some painted in watercolours and others drawn with coloured pencils
There’s not a lot of room for creativity in the art of Mark Isaac-Williams.
The 81-year-old Hong Kong-born horticulturalist’s botanical illustrations are faithful to each line, each spot on the petals, the angle of each leaf and other minute details that he can observe. The only “editing” is the removal of any shadows cast by the surrounding environment.
His new exhibition, called “Green Fingers, Artist’s Hands” at the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden in Tai Po, Hong Kong, features one of his favourite subjects: orchids.
It features 30 botanical illustrations by Isaac-Williams of different orchid species, some painted in watercolours and others drawn with coloured pencils. These are selected from more than 300 such artworks he produced as artist-in-residence at the farm from 2012 to 2020.
While some capture the bright colours of orchid flowers, others are left uncoloured to highlight the intricate texture and form of the plants’ structure. “If you look at the orchid, you look at the petals and it’s got stripes all the way, doesn’t it? I look for orchids which have a lot of details, because I enjoy doing the details. That’s why I do botanical work,” Isaac-Williams says.