Botanical Beauty

The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council ushers in spring with the new exhibit, “The Beauty of Botanicals,” now at the Gallery at the Shoreline Center through May 1.

Featured are the mixed media monoprints of April Richardson, black &white photography by Gudrun Bayerlein and color photography by Hitomi Dames. The public is invited to meet the artists at an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 19.

All three artists say they use the wonder of the world around as inspiration for their different mediums and styles.

Bayerlein’s large black and white images of plant and flowers are striking against their black backgrounds. The saturation of the backgrounds contrast with the delicate stamens, pods and leaves of her subjects.

Dames’ macro images of flowers and insects reveal another world where color and stillness are occasionally interrupted by the darting of a bee looking for pollen or a spider quietly spinning a web. “I believe that simple and clean movements and forms create good compositions,” said Dames. “Shooting moving subjects takes a quick decisions and improvisation. I like that.”

Richardson combines drawing, painting, collage and printmaking to create large mixed media monotypes. “Memory. What happens when light is limited or space is restricted, or there’s too much of a good thing,” Richardson contemplates during her creative process. “What was here yesterday? What will be here tomorrow? These thoughts intrigue me, and the observation of nature provides a way to ponder them.” She applies thin layers of ink and paper, scrapes or tears it away, and then rebuild layer after layer to achieve complex depth and texture. “Sometimes I press leaves or flowers directly into the surface,” Richardson said. “I love the physical aspect of printmaking: mixing colors, placing the plate on the press, smoothing the blankets, and turning the wheel.”