Rory McEwen The Colours Of Reality

McEwen developed a distinctive style working on unadorned vellum, presenting botanical subject matter with scientific precision and artistic flair, without ever compromising one for the other. At a time when such paintings focused on perfect specimens, McEwen found beauty in imperfections, which made his creations breathtakingly realistic. His paintings have been an inspiration to later generations of botanical artists and his work can be found in collections around the world, including the MoMA, the Tate, the British Museum, and the National Gallery of Modern Art Scotland.

This revised edition of the best-selling Rory McEwen: The Colours of Reality adds more artwork from McEwen and a soulful foreword by musician Jools Holland. Four sections consider McEwen from four different angles: his life and music, his contributions to the avant-garde, his work as a botanical painter, and his influence and legacy.  

Originally published to coincide with an exhibition at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in 2013, and developed in close collaboration with the McEwen family, this is the first major gathering of McEwen's work since 1989.