Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Charles Rennie Mackintosh

One of the inspirations for my work is the botanical watercolours from Charles Rennie Mackintosh (7 June 1868 – 10 December 1928). I love the way his fine pencil lines define the shapes of the flowers, stems, and leaves. Watercolour fills in the shapes, adding depth and richness to the artwork.

Art is the Flower - Life is the Green Leaf. 

Let every artist strive to make his flower a beautiful living thing, something that will convince the world that there may be, there are, things more precious more beautiful - more lasting than life itself... you must offer real, living - beautifully coloured flowers - flowers that grow from, but above, the green leaf – flowers that are not dead – are not dying – not artificial – real flowers springing from your own soul – not even cut flowers - You must offer the flowers of the art that is in you – the symbols of all that is noble – and beautiful – and inspiring - flowers that will often change a colourless leaf - into an established and thoughtful thing.

This is a quotation from a Mackintosh lecture in 1902.