Bumblebees buzzing upon Hollyhocks and Acanthus at Pavilion Gardens

Print description

By mid summer busy bumblebees buzz away collecting pollen from the historic flowers of Pavilion Gardens in Brighton.

Print details

Digital pigment print from original ink drawings. Printed on fine art paper using archival inks. Available in sizes A0,A1, A2, A3 or A4 as limited editions of 100. Each print is individually signed and numbered.

Pavilion Gardens

A few years ago the Royal Pavilion Garden had a mayor transformation. I remember I asked one of the gardeners that told me that it was being fully restored as a regency gardens. So if you pay a visit, ponder upon the remarkable appearance of this garden that Brighton has restored to follow John Nash’s 1820s plans and conforms as closely as possible to the original lists of plants supplied to George IV.

Bumblebees art. The printmaking process

At the peak of last summer I visited Pavilion Gardens with my photographic camera. The historic Hollyhocks were in full bloom and were teeming with bumblebees.

From my photographs I recreated different compositions using collage technique. And once settled upon a design, I proceeded drawing in ink of the base drawings.I drew each element separately: Brighton Dome , acanthus and hollyhocks flowers and bumblebees.I drew them with a lithographic mind, creating layers that later on will either form the outlines, or will have its own colour and transparency or will act as a texture to a surface. The next step involves scanning the drawings and carefully adding colour digitally. This is also a long process where I apply painterly techniques: adding the base colour, highlights and shadows. To strengthen the connection with my art print ‘Heron Print Royal Pavilion Orient Nights’ I added an architectural geometrical design in the sky which I took from my archive of photos of geometric tiles of the Alcazar de Sevilla.

The final art print is again recreated as a collage. I balance the composition in terms of form, colour, structure, movement. If at the end I feel it touches my soul, I feel the job is done. But maybe it is just me and that I am a sentimental person.

About Bumblebees

This print looks at the relationship that we have with the natural world and in particular the humble bees. Knowing how important bees are for the ecosystems, it is unfortunate how often the news tells us about the decline of these insects. In Brighton and all over Sussex there are numerous organisations that look after many aspects of the conservation of these wonderful creatures.

Brighton and Lewes Beekeepers

Sussex Beekeepers’ Association