creative process, art collections Ali Mackie creative process, art collections Ali Mackie

From Still Life to Sprouting Surprise: Where Botany and Art Flourish in Bottle & Branch

A flourishing tale for art enthusiasts and plant lovers alike! I want to share a story about the unexpected turn my latest collection, Bottle & Branch, has taken. It all began with a simple idea: capturing the beauty of found branches through art. But as the project unfolded, nature added its creative twist, blurring the lines between artistic inspiration and botanical experiment.

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art collections Ali Mackie art collections Ali Mackie

From kitchen window sill to gallery wall: A new collection of Kalanchoes paintings

The cheerful supermarket kalanchoes plant (commonly known as a Flaming Katy) and a hand made ceramic pot, dotted in circular buttons, are the star of a brand new botanical painting collection. The collection takes a deep dive into composition, surface pattern and a personal connection with favourite colours and how they work in harmony.

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events & exhibitions Ali Mackie events & exhibitions Ali Mackie

The power of family: Mother and daughter artists share their work in a joint exhibition

A mother and daughter's shared love of art comes to fruition in a joint exhibition. The two fine artists, who practice mixed media art making with a penchant for plants, have unique painting styles, however their work is united by a touch of the familiar. The October exhibition, at Emerald Gallery, explores the power of family ties and the creative bond between mothers and daughters.

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art collections Ali Mackie art collections Ali Mackie

Painting flower pots and plates: The value of hyacinth bulbs and a vivid imagination

A small tin flower pot, stuffed with hyacinth bulbs, sparked a new botanical fine art collection complete with bold shapes, luscious fronds, fancy china plates and dainty gold details. The finished work represents a desire to explore strong tonal contrasts and richly textured surfaces. It’s also a collection of mixed media paintings that helped me climb out of the depths of isolation.

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between the brushstrokes