Hi, I am Vicki
Living in the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom in South Africa is an enriching and inspiring experience and depicting the beautiful plants has been my passion. Recently I have been co-ordinating the Grootbos Florilegium, a project depicting rare and iconic indigenous local plants. Working with my fellow artists from South Africa and around the world on the project has been a joy and the culmination of my work. I have now retired.
Exhibitions
Shirley Sherwood Gallery in Kew – and also travelling exhibitions from this collection in the USA, Japan and Italy
Hunt Institute 12th International Exhibition – USA
Romanian Cultural Centre in London – The Transylvanian Florilegium
“The Journey of Plants” exhibition Buitenplaats Museum – Netherlands
Kirstenbosch Biennale exhibitions – Cape Town (gold medallist and one special award for best picture on show) Also as a judge for several of these exhibitions
Plant exhibition – Kirstenbosch, Cape Town – curated by Vicki Thomas
Botanical Art Worldwide exhibition – Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg
Florilegia
Highgrove Florilegium Flowers from HRH Prince Charles’s garden
Transylvanian Florilegium Wildflowers from Transylvania
Sydney Florilegium Sydney Royal Botanical Garden, Sydney
Grootbos Florilegium Wildflowers from W Cape, South Africa
Scientific publications and monographs
All botanical artwork plates (64) for a monograph :
Southern African Plectranthus – by Ernst van Jaarsveld
Artwork included in the monograph:
The Genus Lachenalia – by Graham Duncan
Scientific illustrations published in:
Curtis’s Botanical Magazine – Royal Horticultural Society, UK
Flowering Plants of Africa – South African National Biodiversity Institute
Bothalia – SANBI
Insect Conservation A Global Synthesis by Michael J. Samways
Botanical art books
Publications from the Shirley Sherwood Collection:
The Shirley Sherwood Collection Modern Masterpieces of Botanical Art
A Passion for Plants
Treasures of Botanical Art
The Art of Plant Evolution
Arte Botanica
South African Botanical Art – Dr Marion Arnold
Plant – Exploring the Botanical World – published by Phaedon
Kirstenbosch the most beautiful garden in Africa – by Brian Huntley
Botanical art teaching and lecturing
Visiting lecturer Stellenbosch University – Scientific Illustration programme
Teacher for Summer School at the University of Cape Town for several years
Visiting teacher Hampton Court florilegium artists – UK
Classes around South Africa and in the UK
Promotion of botanical art
Cythna Letty Medal awarded by the Botanical Society of South Africa
Founder member and past Chair BAASA Botanical Artists’ Association of South Africa
Honorary life member of BAASA
Several short documentary films have been made on Vicki, her artwork and botanical art in general
Several South African newspaper and magazine articles
A floral clothing range for the retail chain ‘Poetry”.
