Claire Dalby facts for kids

Claire Dalby, born on November 20, 1944, is a talented British artist. She is known for her beautiful paintings, engravings, and book illustrations. Claire mostly draws and paints plants and flowers using watercolors, gouache (a type of paint), and wood engraving.

About Claire Dalby

Claire Dalby was born in St Andrews, Scotland. Her father, Charles Longbotham, was also a respected watercolor painter. Claire went to the Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls in Acton, West London, from 1955 to 1963.

After school, she studied art at the City and Guilds of London Art School from 1964 to 1967. There, she focused on engraving and calligraphy (the art of beautiful handwriting). She even got advice on wood engraving from another famous artist, Joan Hassall.

Claire's Art Career

In 1966, Claire Dalby had her first artwork shown at the Royal Academy in London. This was a big achievement for a young artist! That same year, she won a special award called the David Murray landscape studentship. She spent time at Flatford Mill in Suffolk, where she met a botanist (a scientist who studies plants) named Kery Dalby. They got married in 1967.

Claire had many solo art shows where only her work was displayed. These included exhibitions in Camberley (1975), Oxford (1987), and at Imperial College in London (1981 and 1988). She also had a show at the Shetland Museum in Lerwick. Claire also took part in group shows with other artists. These were organized by groups like the Society of Wood Engravers and the Royal Watercolour Society.

Claire's Illustrations and Awards

Claire Dalby has created amazing plant illustrations for many books. She also made two large wall charts for the Natural History Museum. These charts showed over 500 different types of lichens (small plant-like growths).

In 1989, a collection of her plant illustrations was published in a book called Claire Dalby's Picture Book. Her talent was recognized with important awards. In 1994, the Linnean Society gave her the Jill Smythies Award for her outstanding botanical illustrations. The next year, in 1995, she won a gold medal from the Royal Horticultural Society.

Where to See Claire's Art

Claire Dalby's artworks are kept in many famous museums in Britain. You can find her pieces at the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.

Her art is also part of the Royal Collection (art owned by the British Royal Family). Other places that have her work include the Fitzwilliam Museum, the National Library of Wales, the Hunt Institute, and the Australian Biological Resources Study Centre in Canberra.

Books with Claire's Illustrations

Claire Dalby has illustrated many books, often focusing on nature and plants. Here are some of them:

• The Observer's Book of Lichens by Kenneth Leonard Alvin (1977 edition)
• The Family Water Naturalist by Heather Angel & Pat Wolseley (1982)
• Women Engravers by Patricia Jaffe (1988)
• Even the Flowers by Freda Downie (1989)
• Claire Dalby's Picture Book (1989)
• Colour Identification Guide to Grasses, Sedges and Ferns by Francis Rose (1991)
• Crucifers of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by T.C.G. Rich (1991)
• Flora of Australia, Volume 54 (1992)
• Images from Nature, Natural History Museum (1998)

Claire's Memberships

Claire Dalby is a member of several important art organizations. These groups recognize talented artists and help promote their work.

• In 1973, she became an associate member of the Royal Watercolour Society.
• In 1977, she became a full member of the Royal Watercolour Society.
• In 1978, she became an associate member of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers.
• In 1982, she became a full member of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers.
• In 1991, she was chosen as the Vice-president of the Royal Watercolour Society.

Claire Dalby is also a member of the Society of Wood Engravers.