Dianne Frank

I was born in Vancouver, Canada.  I moved to Oxford in 2001 at which point I became interested in botanical art.

Subsequently I began painting botanical subjects, working with watercolours and gouache. However, after a few years, I began to work with coloured pencil. Using pencils to depict realistic images in the tradition of botanical art requires careful layering of colours and much attention to blending and finishing. The method is different from painting, but the result is very similar, the aim being to create coloured pencil ‘paintings’.

In keeping with the long tradition of botanical art, I try to show detail and accuracy in my work. While some of my drawings could fit quite comfortably within the genre of botanical illustration (showing the relevant parts of the whole plant), most of my work would be viewed as ‘plant portraits’.

Nearly every year since 2003 I have exhibited during Oxfordshire’s open studio event—Artweeks. In 2015 the organizers chose my image of oranges for the cover of their guide.

In 2011 I became a fellow of the Society of Botanical Artists and in the same year received a commendation for the Joyce Cuming Presentation Award.

In 2021 I was awarded a Certificate of Botanical Merit for a submission to the SBA’s online exhibition.

In 2023 I received the Faber-Castell Award for my body of work at the Plantae 23 (SBA) exhibition, Mall Galleries, London. I have exhibited with the SBA most years since 2005.