Jillian Hagel Artist & Scientist

Botanical Paintings in Oil, Watercolour or Acrylic

My art is influenced by my journey as a scientist. I have spent decades researching special plants used as medicines, poisons, flavourings and enchantments. I am particularly curious about humanity’s connection to these herbs. I paint the plants themselves using traditional watercolour or acrylic techniques, relying on a full colour palette.

My botanical illustrations have been published in scientific papers. In my larger works, I deploy traditional oil methods to render stories throughout the ages impacted by magical plants – whether in major, minor, or nuanced ways.

Relying on only two pigments for a monochromatic effect, my oil paintings convey a sense of antiquity, evoking the mood of old photographs. I envision our collective memories as murky and occasionally mythical, as stories grow and change over time.