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Botanical Artist Blooms on New Rose Stamp Collection
3 Mar
Summary
- Botanical artist Marie Burke's rose paintings grace 10 new stamps.
- The stamps feature roses, including David Austin's first English Rose.
- Burke found inspiration in local Somerset gardens for her artwork.
Botanical artist Marie Burke has brought the beauty of roses to philately with her work featured on a new set of 10 stamps. Burke, based in Glastonbury, was commissioned to paint various roses, notably including the Constance Spry. This particular rose holds historical significance as the first English Rose cultivated by David CH Austin in 1961.
Over the past eight months, Burke gathered inspiration by visiting Somerset gardens, such as Bishop's Palace in Wells and Durham Park near Bath. She described her process as seeking out diverse floral beauty in local gardens. This venture into stamp design marks a significant shift from her earlier career, where she initially worked with forge steel metal, abstracting natural forms. The transition to watercolour painting began about 15 years ago, around the time she started her family.
David Gold, director at Royal Mail, highlighted the cultural significance of roses in Britain and praised Burke's illustrations for capturing the unique character of each of the 10 distinct roses. Burke, who now teaches botanical watercolour online, shared that being featured on a stamp collection "feels pretty cool."
