Burren botanical drawing
Textures and colours in plants
This five day workshop is an introduction to the texture and colours found in plants. Inspired by the flora of the Burren habitat, the participants will use drawing tools to represent the geometrical shapes and curves that underlie a plant’s structure.
The course involves a range of drawing and painting exercises using graphite pencils and watercolour paint to accurately capture the texture of the chosen subject. A series of practical demonstrations will include line drawing, measurement of leaves and flower heads, pencil and brush techniques.
There will be an emphasis on sketchbook work including observational drawings and colour chart preparation for accurate depiction of the plants found in the area. Field trips to the Burren will give students the opportunity to photograph and sketch plant specimens for use in further studio work.
Tutor bio
Ida Mitrani is a French artist and art facilitator living in Ireland since 1997. Her multidisciplinary practice explores the relationship between humans and plants.She studied Animation (2002) and Fine Art in Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (2003), Botanical art (UK 2015) and received a First Class Honours Masters degree in Art and Process from the Crawford College of Art and Design (2021).
She has taken part in several group exhibitions in Ireland, including The Triskel Arts Center, Droichead Arts Centre, Roscommon Arts Centre, Visual Carlow, GOMA Waterford, Lexicon Gallery, Temple Bar Gallery & Studios, Oonagh Young Gallery, Cross Gallery, and a solo show in NAG in Dublin.
Mitrani was awarded the inaugural P.N.O’Gorman Auctioneers prize for a work on paper at the 194th RHA annual exhibition in Dublin (2024). Other awards include the Arts Council Agility Award (2022), Dublin Arts Office residential space (2022) and the Arts for Health residency award at Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre (2021). Her work is now part of the HSE public collection, Crawford MAAP Graduate Collection, the public collection in the National Library in Dublin, the National Archives of Ireland and the Arts Office in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.