My lifelong passion for the living world has been explored through both art and science. I pursued a long career in insect taxonomy at the Natural History Museum, London, while also achieving success as a wildlife photographer underwater, with an interest in wild flowers too. Taking up botanical illustration draws on my experience in biology and photography. I paint in watercolour, and love to portray the amazingly diverse structures of plants in detail. In 2011, I became a member (now a Fellow) of Hampton Court Palace Florilegium Society, and I have shown my botanical paintings with them, and at other exhibitions.
I am on Facebook and you are welcome to get in touch with me there, or
phone me at 0208 668 8168.
Email: linda.pitkin@virgin.net
QUALIFICATIONS
CBiol (Chartered Biologist), MRSB (Member of the Royal Society of Biology)
CAREER
Entomological research (insect taxonomy), Natural History Museum, London, 1967-2006
Freelance underwater photographer, 1983 - present. Botanical artist - present.
ART MEDIA
Watercolour, graphite pencil, pen-and-ink, photography (underwater photographs and photographs of wild flowering plants). N.B. Botanical illustrations are painted from life.
COLLECTIONS
Hampton Court Palace Florilegium Society archive. Some of my paintings in the archive:
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2019 - Caterham Botanical Art Group, Click Clock Gallery, Croydon Clocktower.
2019 - RHS Botanical Art and Photography Show (awarded Gold Medal for Botanical art)
2018 - Caterham Botanical Art Group, Click Clock Gallery, Croydon Clocktower.
2018 - Clematis in the Walled Garden, The Sunbury Embroidery Gallery with Hampton Court Palace Florilegium Society
2016 - Horsham Museum & Art Gallery: A Growing Success, with Caterham Botanical Art Group
2015 - Hampton Court Palace Florilegium Society: at the RHS Botanical Art Show, London
2014 - Plants of the Walled Garden by Hampton Court Palace Florilegium Society: at The Sunbury Embroidery Gallery
2012 - Boot Düsseldorf, Germany (Boat Show) (underwater photography)
1978 - The Royal Over-Seas League, London (landscape)
1973 - Society of Wildlife Artists, Mall Galleries, London (natural history, not botanical)
Plus a number of exhibitions of underwater photography (one-person and group).
MEMBERSHIP
Hampton Court Palace Florilegium Society (Fellow), 2011-
Royal Society of Biology, 1990-
Surrey Botanical Society, 2008-
British Society of Underwater Photographers, 1980-
Women Divers Hall of Fame, 2003- |
