Stems in a flower portrait are possibly the most overlooked and possibly the most difficult part of the painting. They are often treated with less importance and yet they support the beautiful flowers and leaves that we paint with great attention. They can make or break an otherwise beautiful image. Learn to paint them successfully, whether they are smooth and shiny or hairy and silky, covered in thorns or broken up into sections. Wide or narrow, they come in a range of colourful hues. From the shiny deep magenta Ligularia stem to the glossy black Bamboo, to the elegant yellow Stipa stalks. The garden has a wonderful collection of various stems for us to choose from.

Time will be spent on the first day practicing the watercolour skills needed to paint stems. Reinhild will do group demonstration as well as individual tuition. Participants will then move on to producing a unique portrait of stems in different forms of colour and texture. Composition will play a very important part in this and Reinhild will be on hand to help each participant as they build up their own colourful ‘Stem Medley’ portrait.

Suitable for all levels

Reinhild is a qualified teacher as well as an experienced Botanical Artist. She received her first of four gold medals from the RHS for her monograph on the genus Saintpaulia. Many of her illustrations are housed at Kew in their permanent collection. Reinhild regularly holds major exhibitions of her work in London and Bury St Edmunds.