INKQ Edition #7

As INKQ moves away from the enveloping sphere of blue, the front page shifts to near-black and monochrome imagery to accentuate the amazing work of two artists we are particularly keen on; Garth Henderson and Man&Wah. Garth’s close-up and detailed images derived from his digital treatment of flowers renders them almost metallic and artificial. This is in distinct contrast to the dark and sensual work of Man&Wah; their voluptuous petals ooze sensuously from the darkness.

In this issue we have dedicated space to two centrefold images; each stunning in their own way: a delicate iris painted by Jenny Coker in watercolours, the softness of line blending subtly with the texture of the paper. The other, Tracy Stamatakos’s dramatic photograph of an active volcano in New Zealand, which vividly conveys the breathtaking power of nature.

A chance meeting in New Zealand led to the appearance in INKQ of the alchemist Brian Cotnoir. This brief introduction is a fascinating insight into the life and workings of the modern day alchemist.

Katherine Gravett’s blend of science and art is an attempt to explore the relationship between order and chaos in both nature and creativity. From a random beginning each piece is carefully brought to order to result in an image which is unnatural but totally organic.

Finally, we wanted to include a contributor who had nothing to do with botanical art. For this, we chose the concise and poignant poetry of Michele Brenton. We have included 3 of her short works, which we feel act as a human foil to the natural world depicted throughout the rest of the issue.

Eclectic and diverse, Issue Seven is the beginning of a step forward, out of blue and into other territories: monochrome and kaleidascopic, chaos and serenity. A reflection of our surroundings.