AN artist is displaying her floral artwork in her first gallery, with framed paintings going for up to £2,000.
Calligrapher and painter Sophie Roberts, 38, will display 40 pieces of her botanical artwork in a free gallery, 'Painting a Garden', at Tennants, in Leyburn, from November 16 to December 18.
Many of her paintings in the exhibit, which are available for purchase, ranging from £100 to £2,000, feature flowers from the Himalayan Gardens in Ripon, such as magnolias and foxgloves, in antique vases that have featured in auctions held at Tennants.
The mum of three began her career as an artist after she married William Roberts, whose parents, Peter and Caroline, set up the Himalayan Gardens and Sculpture Park.
Sophie set up a business producing Calligraphy from her kitchen table, producing pieces for friends' weddings and christenings.
She said: "I grew the business and began working for larger clients, like Fortnum and Masons and some fashion brands.
"During that time, my mother gave me a botanical painting course as a Christmas present. I loved it. It was great to understand the structure of plants, breaking down the tone, the colour and the lines."
When the Covid lockdowns hit, her business turned to painting.
She said: "I started posting my paintings on Instagram and got traction with people asking to buy them, so it grew from there.”
Sophie has kept her hand in botanical art and has set up workshops in the Himalayan Gardens alongside botanical illustrator for 20 years, Bridget Gillespie.
Visitors will have a chance to ‘Meet the Artist’ on Thursday, November 17, when Sophie will be painting live in the gallery.
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