About the artist
‘Botanicals are my passion! Plants that feed the bees, ancient plants, nature’s medicine,
wild foods are all pressed or impressed in my art.’
Nettie is a botanical artist working from her home studio in the Vale of Pewsey.
Since moving to Pewsey, Nettie has been involved in the theatre as a playwright, director and set designer, as an archaeologist at Blick Mead in the Stonehenge landscape and she is an experienced beekeeper. All these elements have inspired her artwork - moving with the seasonal changes in colours and light, the varied forage for the bees and pollinators and the breath-taking Wiltshire landscape.
Originally working in mixed media using watercolours, acrylics and incorporating natural plants in her work, Nettie has now introduced a new medium using clay and plaster, known as ‘bas - relief’, an ancient method used by botanists to record the finest details of plant species. She was inspired to experiment with highly ‘textured’ art on learning that her brother in law, a keen gardener and nature lover was rapidly losing his sight. Nettie has gone on to develop a unique way to produce these panels in concrete for either interior or exterior display.
'These tactile, sculptural botanical casts - where every leaf, seed and flower leave a permanent record of the plant - can be 'read' like a Botanical Braille.
Nettie enjoys her ‘One Moment in Time’ and 'Wedding bouquet' commissions - making bespoke bas - relief botanical panel of your special memories.
Customer comments:
‘Nettie created a beautiful, contemporary piece of botanical art that offers a tactile visual memory of our special wedding’.
‘I am thrilled - this panel is all my favourite flowers from my garden—wonderful - such a beautiful gift to receive!’
‘ This is completely unique—it’s the essence of my garden —hanging in my living room.’
Contact: nettiebbrownart@gmail.com, www.nettiebbrownart.co.uk, @nettiebbrown_art
or message WhatsApp 07977 561958
About the Art
My art represents my observations of nature - growing, collecting and using botanical species both as pressed flowers and bas relief botanical casts. I predominantly use common wildflowers, many with medicinal purpose, herbs, bee friendly plants and flowering vegetables. For garden commissions and wedding bouquet preservation I will use a varied selection of flowers from the customer.
Plaster: Botanical bas-relief has developed from an ancient technique, nature printing, used by botanists to study flora before photography. Made by pressing fresh flowers into clay to make an indented impression. The flowers and seeds are removed and plaster is poured into the mould. Once the plaster has set, the clay can be peeled off and the most delicate details of the flowers are preserved in the plaster. The cast is allowed to dry for several days before being cleaned, sanded and is either left as natural or can be coloured in watercolours.
Concrete :-
These handmade concrete botanical casts, made with ‘ciment fondu’, have been cast using a groundbreaking technique developed by the artist.
Ciment fondu is a strong, high alumina casting cement used by sculptors such as Henry Moore, Gerda Rubinstein and Ng Eng Teng. The process involves three separate methodologies: - Firstly the ‘master’ is produced in plaster from flowers pressed into clay and transposed into plaster once the plants have been removed. The second stage is making a silicone mould from the plaster master after it has completely dried, using RTV silicone. Thirdly the ciment fondu and sand mixture is mixed and added into the mould, allowed to set for 24 hours and cured for a further four weeks.
The original plaster cast is irrevocably discoloured during the process and the silicone mould can only be used to make a maximum of two concrete casts in two different cements.
Concrete casts are made with grey/brown or white Ciment Fondu or White Snocrete and kiln dried sand and polished with Renaissance Wax. Concrete casts are supplied with an aluminium hook for hanging and can be displayed indoor or outside, embedded into walls or wet areas such as showers and splashback decoration.
Outdoor concrete casts will develop a unique patina over time, changing from almost black, through grey/bronze to a dark grey.
Contact me for more information or to commission a personal cast of your favourite flowers - bridal bouquets, memorial casts, gardeners delights on nettiebbrownart@gmail.com
Additional places to view my artwork
Botanical Art Studio - Stable End Cottage, 4 Milton Road, Pewsey - by appointment only
Merlin Glass and Local Handcrafted gifts, Unit 8, Nursery Farm,
Plain Arts Salisbury Art Trail 25th May - 9th June 2024
Talos Art Gallery Summer Exhibition 25th May - 28th July
Marlborough Open Studios 2024 - (home studio) throughout July
Exhibition Woodborough, Pewsey SN9 5PF at Woodborough social club - March 2025
White Chalk Gallery, Old Swan Lane, Devizes - open exhibition April
White Horse Bookshop, 136 High St, Marlborough SN8 1HW - open exhibition May
NT Christmas Market at Avebury 2024 - December
Orders and delivery
Please contact me directly to order items from the shop. I have several outlets selling my products and will check availability before confirming order.
Orders are personally packed by me and delivered as soon as possible after ordering (usually between 2 and 5 days)
Cards will be enclosed in a hardbacked or bubble wrapped envelope and sent via Royal Mail.
Small canvasses will be sent by large letter post via Royal Mail.
Larger items i.e. plaster bas relief casts, framed artwork, large canvasses etc. will be packed into suitable box with bubble wrap or alternative and sent via DPD parcel delivery which are tracked.
I will do my utmost to get things out as promptly as possible but will contact you if any unforeseen circumstances arise.