The Harris Garden
I have been engaged in a fascinating project of being the first Artist in Residence in The Harris Garden, at the University of Reading.
The Harris Garden is set in a beautiful landscape once in the grounds of a landscaped garden built by George, Marquis of Blandford (who later became the 5th Duke of Marlborough) between 1798 and 1819. The garden takes it’s name from Professor Tom Harris, a keen gardener and distinguished palaeo-botanist.
It’s a 12 acre garden of botanical interest and is positioned at a secluded part of the Whiteknights site of the University campus, a sort of secret garden which enjoys formal areas of compact planting. In contrast there are woods, a walled garden, a stream, small lake and also some wonderful meadowland.
My objective was to record the garden over a year, in sketches and finished paintings capturing the change in the seasons, moods and designs in planting, as well as the staff and volunteers who have a hand in the garden’s management and growth.
I intend this to be my interpretation of the garden, not of botanical studies. As a medical artist and natural history illustrator for many years, I have fought for the last decade to gain freedom from this discipline and I am enjoying expressing the feel of the garden while being faithful to its soul.
The completed body of work has been shown in an exhibition in the Museum of English Rural Life which ran from the 24 May until 30 June 2013 and was a great success. You can also see some of my work on my Gallery page where I’m delighted to be back teaching this summer.
My book: An Artist’s Year in the Harris Garden celebrating an artist in a garden, published by Two Rivers Press was recently published and includes, not just the paintings worked in oil, pastel and watercolour but also the sketches done on site, accompanied by a short text recording my observations during the year, four sonnets and the history of the garden.
Associated published articles:
- An Artist in a Garden, The Artist Magazine, May 2013
- The Not So Secret Garden, Berkshire Life, May 2013
I hope to see you soon at L’Age Baston – Jenny.