Contemporary artist Jess Shepherd painted her studies of leaves on a large scale, with the biggest measuring more than a metre. The series records her move from London to Spain, and each work is accompanied by an “environmental soundtrack” recording the place where it was found.
With £25,000 raised by crowdfunding, she has published a book of her illustrations, each accompanied by a CD. She has also donated copies to 11 international institutions including The British Library, the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, where she once worked at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery.
Pictured right is Grape Vine (Vitis vinifera), a leaf which Shepherd found at 37°10’31.3”N / 3°41’28.7”W. The watercolour, priced £1800, is on cotton rag paper and measures 2ft 6in x 22in (76 x 56cm).
The Leafscapes exhibition runs until February 25.
