Jessica Rosemary Shepherd

Jessica Rosemary Shepherd FLS (born October 1984) is a painter, artist, publisher and botanist who works under the names of Úrsula Romero and Inky Leaves.

Jessica Rosemary Shepherd
Shepherd in 2014
BornOctober 1984
NationalityBritish
Other namesInky Leaves, Úrsula Romero
OccupationArtist

Early career

After attending Steyning Grammar School,[1] Shepherd studied for a BSc in botany at Plymouth University[2] and was awarded the Eden Project Prize for her thesis in which she initiated the restoration of Plymouth's historic Drakes Place Gardens.[3][4] During her time at university Shepherd dedicated time to researching and cataloguing the 19th Century Thomas Bruges Flower (1817–1899) herbarium at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery alongside her studies.[4]

After graduating from Plymouth University, she secured a NERC funded grant to study for a MSc in Botanical Taxonomy at University of Edinburgh and graduated with a distinction after studying the Cytology of Campanula rotundifolia for her thesis.[5][6][7]

Following her attendance at Edinburgh Shepherd was funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to conduct two years of research into the 18th Century St. Aubyn (1758–1839) herbarium and mineral collection at Plymouth City Museum.[8][9][10][11] Meanwhile she was also employed by the University to continue her work on improving the campus and was the curator of the Muirhead Herbarium.[12][13]

In 2010 Shepherd was employed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and was positioned in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art.[14][15] During this time she freelanced as an illustrator for scientific journals and books[16][17][18] whilst developing her own painting techniques and delivered several talks about the Marianne North Gallery.[19]

She was elected Fellow of the Linnean Society of London in 2012[20] and was elected as a member of the Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society in 2013[21] and a member of the Chelsea Arts Club in 2017.[22]

Career

Shepherd's paintings feature in the Shirley Sherwood Collection,[23] the Fitzwilliam Museum[24] and National Botanic Gardens (Ireland). Her work has been featured in a number of exhibitions. In 2014, she was featured on the BBC4 documentary "In Search of Rory McEwen" where she demonstrated how to paint on vellum in the Chelsea Physic Garden.[25][26][27]

On 16 February 2017 Shepherd held her first solo exhibition at Abbott and Holder in London and in conjunction published her first book titled ‘Leafscape’ featuring her collection of watercolour paintings on leaves.[28] For the collection, Shepherd worked in collaboration with musician Hoodlum Priest (Derek Thompson) to produce a soundtrack which was released by Concrete Music Publishing.[29]

In late 2017, inspired by Novalis' unfinished Bildungsroman 'Heinrich von Ofterdingen', Shepherd began her next project on the Blue Flower.[30] In 2018 Shepherd launched INK Quarterly (INKQ) – a collaborative art publication that acts as a stage for thinkers and artists to talk freely about their ideas and practice for an educated audience.[31] 2018 also saw the birth of the Inky Leaves podcasting channel which, via a series of talks and interviews, discusses and promotes botanical art.[32]

Personal life

Shepherd was a model and muse for well known ceramic artist, printmaker and painter Eric James Mellon between 2004 and 2006, frequently appearing in his work wearing hats.[33][34][35] She has also been a model for other well known artists including Piers Ottey, Gym Hamala[36] and Youth and spent a year studying the history of painting under the tuition of YBA artist Nick Fudge.[37]

Exhibitions
  • July 2023 - 'Beauty in Individualism - Collection of works by women artists of the 20th and 21st Centuries', Stephen Ongpin Fine Art, London, UK[38]
  • February 2022 - 'Ellas ilustran botánica', Casa de las Ciencias, Spain[39]
  • May 2021 - 'The Botanical Rainbow', Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, London, UK[40]
  • January 2020 - 'Herbarios Imaginados', Centro de Arte Complutense, Spain[41]
  • August 2019 - Het Spaanse Dorp: Polopos TV show and art festival, Granada, Spain
  • July 2019 - The Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
  • May 2019 - Nazari Garden, group exhibition with painters Gareth Lister and Nick Fudge, Spain[42]
  • October 2017 – International Watercolour Festival, Moscow, Russia[43]
  • February 2017 – Leafscape, Abbott and Holder, London, UK[44][45][46]
  • July 2015 – The Incredible Exploding Pomegranate, Granada, Spain[47]
  • May 2014 – Aibítir, Dublin, Ireland[48]
  • April 2014 - RHS Botanical Art Show, London, UK[49][50]
  • May 2013 – Natural Selection, Espacio Gallery, London, UK[51]
  • April 2009 – Darwin to Digital, Cube³ Gallery, Plymouth, UK[52]

Sound
  • Thompson, D. and Shepherd, J. R. (2017) Leafscape [CD], Concrete Music Publishing, UK

Publications
  • Shepherd, J. R. (2017) Leafscape [Hardback], Inky Leaves Publishing, Chichester, UK. ISBN 9781788086660

Illustrations by Shepherd
  • Patel Ellis, S. (2018) The Botanical Bible, William Collins-Harper. London, UK. pp. 320–321. ISBN 978-0008262273
  • Wendell, B. (2018) L’unico mondo che abbiamo, Piano B edizioni, Prato, Italy. ISBN 9788893710329 (front cover)
  • Morris, H. (2013) Tree Pruning: A Modern Approach, International Dendrology Society Yearbook, pp. 209–229
  • Thurstan, M. and Martin, R. (2012) Exotic Botanical Illustration with the Eden Project, Batsford Ltd. ISBN 9781849940313
  • Morris, H. (2011) Tree Pruning: A Short History, International Dendrology Society Yearbook 2010, pp. 217–225

Essays
  • Shepherd, J. R. (2018) INK Quarterly, Inky Leaves Publishing (editorial)
  • Shepherd, J. R. (2009) Bringing a Herbarium to Life at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, NatSCA News, Issue 17, pp. 43–51[53]
  • Shepherd, J. R. (2009) The Collector, Geoscientist, Vol. 19, No. 12, pp. 6–9
  • Shepherd, J. R. (2009) St. Aubyn Mineral Collection (c 1794–2010) at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, Geological Curators Group Journal, Vol.9, No. 2, pp. 45–56[54]

References
  1. "Pupil's work pays off at show". West Sussex County Times. 20 June 2003. p. 20.
  2. Mitchley, Jonathan (23 July 2014). "Dr M's botanical selfies No. 5 – Jessica Shepherd eats, shoots and Inky Leaves..." Dr M Goes Wild. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  3. Munn, C. (2007). "Plymbiosis". Newsletter for the School of Biological Sciences. 1 (3): 16.
  4. Shepherd, Jessica Rosemary (2007). "Polyploidy and the phylogeography of Campanula rotundifolia L. in the British Isles and Ireland". Natural Environment Research Council. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  5. "Items where NERC Author is "Perry, Annika" – NERC Open Research Archive". Natural Environment Research Council. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  6. Stevens, Carly J.; Wilson, J.; McAllister, H. (2012). "Biological Flora of the British Isles: Campanula rotundifolia". Journal of Ecology. 100 (266): 821–839. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2745.2012.01963.x.
  7. Cross, P. (8 May 2008). "On a tour of herbal delights". The Herald. Reach plc.
  8. "The Geological Society of London – The Collector". geolsoc.org.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  9. Sparks, G. "8) Sir John St Aubyn, BBC Radio Devon". Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  10. Lewis, C. L. E.; Knell, S. J. (2009). The Making of the Geological Society of London – Special Publication no 317. Geological Society of London. ISBN 9781862392779.
  11. "Home " C. V. Starr Virtual Herbarium". N.Y.Botanical Garden. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  12. Leaves, Inky (18 November 2014). "Inky Leaves: The Muirhead Herbarium". Inky Leaves. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  13. "ARCHIVE Shirley Sherwood Gallery Exhibitions". Botanical Art & Artists. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  14. Allen, M. J. (2013). "Links – Rory McEwen". martinjallen.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  15. Morris, H (2010). International Dendrology Society Yearbook 2010. International Dendrology. pp. 217–225.
  16. Morris, H (2013). International Dendrology Society Yearbook 2013. International Dendrology.
  17. results, search; Thurstan, Meriel (2012). Exotic Botanical Illustration: With the Eden Project. Batsford. ISBN 9781849940313.
  18. "Inky Leaves". inkyleaves.blogspot.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  19. "Starting the Revolution from my Easel". The Linnean Society. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  20. "Blog Archives". Botanical Art & Artists. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  21. "The ARTS Interview: Botanical Artist, Shepherd Shepherd". The Ecologist. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  22. Sherwood, Shirley (2020). The Shirley Sherwood Collection: Modern Masterpieces of Botanical Art. London, UK: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 978-1842466933.
  23. "University of Cambridge Museums and Botanic Garden". What's new? Recent additions to the Department of Paintings, Drawings and Prints at the Fitzwilliam. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  24. "Jessica Shepherd". IMDb. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  25. "In Search of Rory McEwen". BBC4 Secret Knowledge. 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  26. "Links – Rory McEwen". martinjallen.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  27. Shepherd, Jessica (2017). Leafscape. Independent Publishing Network. ISBN 9781788086660.
  28. "Culture File: In a Leafscape". Lorcan Murray's Classic Drive. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  29. "blue-flower Inky Leaves". inkyleaves.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  30. "INKQ – Inky Leaves Publishing". Inky Leaves Publishing. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  31. "Inky Leaves Podcasting". inkyleaves.buzzsprout.com. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  32. "Decorating Stoneware - Studio Slipware". Studio Slipware. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  33. Toovey, Rev. Rupert (5 March 2014). "The Eccentric Life of Eric James Mellon". West Sussex Gazette. Johnston Press plc.
  34. Foster, P (2007). Decorating Stoneware Ash Glazes and the Art of the Brush. University of Chichester. ISBN 9780948765070.
  35. Hamala, G (2010). Zigzag: Flashbacks of a Painter. 5000 books. ISBN 9780956727602.
  36. Ongpin, S (2023). Beauty in Individualism - Collection of works by women artists of the 20th and 21st Centuries. Stephen Ongpin Fine Art.
  37. Ongpin, S (2023). Beauty in Individualism - Collection of works by women artists of the 20th and 21st Centuries. Stephen Ongpin Fine Art.
  38. Legido, T (2023). Ellas Ilustran Botanica (in Spanish). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas. ISBN 9788400111458.
  39. "The Botanical Rainbow In Pictures". Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  40. Castelo, L (2020). Herbarios Imaginados (in Spanish). Ediciones Complutense. ISBN 9788466936866.
  41. "Jardín Nazarí Art Exhibition". Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  42. "Registration for the Watercolor Festival is open right now, join us!". kalachevaschool.ru. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  43. "Inky Leaves interview, Outhouse Filmworks". YouTube. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  44. "Jess Shepherd – Leafscape". Abbott and Holder. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  45. "Jessica Shepherd Paints Leaves and Sells". Botanical Art and Artists. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  46. "Jess Shepherd La Conca Arts Club". La Conca Arts Club. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  47. Dillon, Mary; Sayers, Brendan (2014). Aibítir: The Irish Alphabet in Botanical Art : an Exhibition. Irish Society of Botanical Artists. pp. 50–53. ISBN 9780992869304. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  48. "Royal Horticultural Society London Orchid and Botanical Art Show" (PDF). rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  49. "Orchids Enjoy Spring Outing". The Daily Telegraph, Gardening Section. 5 April 2014.
  50. Lumba, Angelo (15 August 2013). "Jessica Shepherd". YouTube. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  51. "Penninsula Arts, (2009), [online exhibition programme]" (PDF). University of Plymouth. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  52. "Bringing a herbarium to life at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery Natural Sciences Collections Association". NatSCA. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  53. Shepherd, J. R. (2009). "St. Aubyn Mineral Collection (c 1794–2010) at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery" (PDF). 7) Geological Curators Group Journal. 9 (2): 45–56. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
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