The beauty of flowers (and of women, according to Slovenian folk wisdom) is fleeting yet eternal—each time they grow, bloom, and complete their life cycle, they bring us joy. If left undisturbed, they can preserve themselves. But they are also preserved through photography and drawing. And preserving them this way harms no one.
Floral and botanical motifs can be found throughout the art world. Flowers and plants adorn portraits, historical, mythological, and religious scenes, and all kinds of genre paintings—they also often appear as stand-alone still lifes. Over centuries of use and depiction, they have acquired many symbolic meanings: a violet in a girl’s hand signifies modesty and humility, the lily stands for purity, but also pride and nobility.
Botanical illustration is something quite unique—a scientific drawing intended to depict the plant and all its botanical features in great detail. The tradition of such drawing is not new. Plants have been studied since ancient times, especially for their usefulness and healing properties. This created the natural need to record the plant’s appearance, color, and specific features before it withered. On James Cook’s research expedition across the Pacific, no fewer than three illustrators were on board to document botanical and zoological discoveries. Even today, in the age of photography, botanical illustration holds advantages—it presents an idealized and more complete depiction of a plant species, often more accurate than a photograph.
Slovenia is home to several renowned botanical illustrators, such as Dr. Vlado Ravnik and Jurij Mikuletič. But this exhibition is something special, showcasing the work of an artist originally from the United Kingdom (now living and working in Slovenia), a country where botanical illustration is deeply rooted and practiced at the highest level.
Caroline Ann Yvonne Bernik, DipSBA
Artist & Botanical Illustrator
Caroline is a British artist who has lived and worked in Slovenia since 1993. She studied for diploma in Botanical Art with the Society of Botanical Artists, based in the United Kingdom. She specialized in the use of coloured pencils and since graduating in June 2022, she has been teaching botanical art locally in Gorenjska. She has exhibited on-line with the Society of Botanical Artists as well as the Association of British Botanical Artists (of which she is a member).