Becoming Blue: Inky Leaves Podcasting

I am happy to announce I have published my first podcast! 

'Inky Leaves Podcasting' is a channel that will focus solely on promoting botany and botanical art through audio.  Here we get to listen to artists, collectors and curators and, as time passes, I hope to track my own adventures into blue when I begin my travels in search of blue flowers. The Inky Leaf broadcast will probably evolve over time to feature different soundscapes mingled with interviews. For now, I intend to post on a fortnightly basis in 30 minute slots.

I am very excited about the venture and hope that it will not only be of interest to us as botanical painters but also to other audiences who would not necessarily think about botanical art and its applications, but who tune in online via other portals such as iTunes or Spotify. 

If you would like to listen to our first programme where I talk with Denise Ramsay about painting in her studio in France please click here.

Denise Ramsay

INK Q

2018 is the year of INK Q – a new art newspaper by Inky Leaves. 

Printed on recycled, lightweight paper in newsprint font, this quarterly paper is here to deliver something that inspiring and interesting to your directly to your door. Focusing on art and the natural sciences, we have some of the worlds most celebrated artists, historians and scientists contributing to the paper. There will also be articles written by J R Shepherd. 

This paper is designed to be a piece of art in itself; something beautiful that can be collected and treasured by you. 

With the launch of INK Q coinciding with Jess’ own new adventure into blue the first editions will have a blue theme. Subscribers will also get the opportunity to be involved in a collaborative piece of work. The gateway for subscribers opens on 29th October 2017 here:

INK Q

Inky Leaves Publishing

by J R Shepherd

Ginkgo biloba, 76 x 56cm , Watercolour on paper,
£1000 unframed. mail@inkyleaves.com if interested.

It certainly has been a busy few months at Inky Leaves studios. The success of Leafscape was completely unforeseen, overwhelming and wonderful. Everyone who has worked on the project is incredibly grateful to you for your continued support. With a only a few days remaining until the last mega dispatch of paperback books, the Leafscape project is slowly coming to a end. The past 12 months have really been one big experience! As the curator for this project I have learnt more than I thought possible, and deepened my understanding on things other than painting and curation. 

Leafscape Redux - the paper back book

I didn't mention it at the time, but while Leafscape was seriously getting under way back in November last year I did two big things on the quiet - I applied for a PhD at Central St. Martins and set up a new company 'Inky Leaves Publishing'. I surprisingly got offered a place at St. Martins, despite not having a portfolio (all the leaves were at the framers) or a presentation (no laptop). I had hoped to get funding so that I could start my next project this September, but sadly failed in this endeavour. Just goes to show, you can't have it all. So, I deferred the start date by a year. 

Fig leaf, 76 x 56 cm, Watercolour on paper, Sold

Inky Leaves Publishing on the other hand took on a life of its own. The idea behind the company is to help artists and botanists who want to publish work. After going through the entire process of bringing a book and soundtrack to life from raw material, I wanted to use all that I had learned to help those who wanted to do something similar. Since starting the publishing company, I have been approached by a number of artists, institutions and writers and I am now working with them to produce something beautiful. If you are interested in Inky Leaves Publishing and want to have a chat about what we could design and make for you, from exhibition catalogues and books to posters and cards, drop me a line: office@inkyleavespublishing.com and I can see what we can do for you. 

Judas leaf in the new paperback version of Leafscape

In the meantime, I am going to go back to signing these 500 paper back books... Thanks again to everyone for helping me through this entire process.  The end of Leafscape has been hard work emotionally for me - it's tough letting something that you have worked so hard on go and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't exhausted. Still - it has been the most thrilling thing I have ever done and am left feeling incredibly hopeful for the future. 

Leafscape redux books being signed