BISCOT

Pinus strobus by Janis Bain

The above botanical painting and illustration exhibition is held annually at Gardening Scotland at Ingliston Edinburgh Scotland. It is held under the auspices of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. It is a competitive exhibition whose aims are to show and encourage excellence in botanical painting and illustration. Only botanical subject matter will be considered for exhibition. The organisers reserve the right to reject work if it does not meet the assessment standard.

Selection Procedure
ASSESSMENT.
Artists wishing to exhibit may apply to the Botanical Images Scotia assessment panel and arrange for their work to be presented for consideration. The panel consists of the current year’s exhibition judges. They convene once a year in May/June and assess the quality of examples of work sent in by artists who wish to exhibit in future years. Artists wishing to be assessed for 2011 and beyond must submit their work by 24th May 2010 (result of assessment at end June 2010). Artists residing in U.K are required to send original work. Artists who reside outside the UK may submit good quality photographic slides or on a CD in ‘jpeg’ format of at least 3 mega pixel resolution. An application form may be found at the end of the rules and regulations adjoining this information.

Two generally accepted categories of botanical painting are considered for selection:
(a) Botanical illustration - with scientific bias, showing relevant details, and
(b) Plant portrait - not necessarily for scientific identification purposes.

Artists who have not previously applied for assessment must submit four pieces of work for the consideration of the judging panel. These works may/may not be part of the set of works exhibited at a later date but must show the artist’s standard of work. If the panel agrees that they are of the required quality, the artist will be eligible to apply for space at a future exhibition.

Artists who have passed the assessment procedure are eligible to apply for space in future years

ELIGIBILITY.
If an artist has not exhibited within seven years following the successful assessment, then that artist must re-submit works for assessment. If the reason for not exhibiting has been lack of space, then the period of eligibility will be extended further and the artist will be given priority in the next exhibition. Artists who have exhibited at Botanical Images Scotia will remain eligible for a further five years from the year in which they exhibited.

Passing the assessment procedure does not guarantee a place in the exhibition since space is limited. Any artist who is unable to be accommodated one year will be given priority the following year unless he/she has exhibited the previous year. This will ensure that newcomers will be given a fair chance to exhibit.

The Exhibition
This takes place at the Gardening Scotland show at Ingliston, EDINBURGH. In 2010 this will be from 4th - 6th June.

All artists must give an undertaking to allow these same works to be transferred to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh for a further period (2-3 weeks) immediately after the G.S. show. N.B. This period may vary in length.

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Rules and Regulations

1. Paintings and drawings of plants must be at least life-size unless this is impractical.

2. A scale must be included if the subject is different from life-size.

3. Exhibits are to be two dimensional original botanical artworks. Preference will be given to works using watercolour as the main medium but this does not preclude the use of coloured pencil, gouache, graphite or ink. Digitally enhanced and other mechanically achieved works, e.g. etchings, are not acceptable.

4. To be considered for an award eight works must be displayed. At least four of these works must not have been previously exhibited in a competitive exhibition.

5. Choice of subject matter is left to the artist but a theme e.g. a particular plant family or other relevant theme attracts a higher award. The judges give special consideration to the accuracy of botanical detail, colour and composition.

6. Any less well executed painting/drawing among those shown by the individual artist will affect the level of the award given. The overall composition and placement of the works shown in the space provided is also important since each display of an artist’s work will be considered as a complete exhibit.

7. RCHS/BOTANICAL IMAGES SCOTIA (BISCOT) have decided that works are not to be framed. They are to be individually presented on lightweight board, with an acetate window mount. This has the advantage of being light to transport, and easy to hang, (see Presentation below for further details). The appropriateness of the final mounts with regard to the works and their relationship to each other in the presentation will be considered.
SIZES
The overall size of mounted/matted works must not exceed 30" x 36", W x Ht. (76cms x 91.5cms). Larger formats will be rejected.

8. Written information e.g. plant names, included on exhibits must be accurate and considered as an integral element of the work.

9. No advertising or promotional literature is allowed other than the artist’s name, address/e-mail address which will be shown at two locations in the exhibit i.e. at the top left hand and bottom right hand corners of the artists’ displays. Cards with this information will not exceed A5 postcard size and will be affixed and provided by the organisers. Artists will be free to display their details, limited to A4 sheets on an adjacent panel.

10. Each work must be numbered and labelled with both the common and Latin name of the depicted plant/s in black and white on cards affixed below each work. These to be no larger than postcard (A5) size.

11. Each exhibit must be labelled on the back with the exhibitor’s name and details and an arrow pointing to top of painting.

12. No work may be removed (or substituted by another) before the end of both exhibitions.

13. Exhibitors will have free access to the Gardening Scotland Show.

14. Exhibitors are responsible for the cost of mounting their works as described.

15. All works sent for assessment/exhibition must be sent under a registered/insured system, or delivered by hand. The RCHS/RBGE will not be responsible for any damage caused in transit or whilst on exhibition. 
It is the artist’s responsibility to arrange their own insurance to cover damage, loss or theft, and for the return of their works whether sent for assessment or exhibition.

16. The exhibition must be manned at all times by at least two exhibiting artists. This is the sole responsibility of the artists who may nominate a substitute if they are unable to attend.

17. Artists must give at least 4 weeks notice to BISCOT if he/she is unable to show their work. Failure to comply with this requirement will invalidate the artist for the following year unless extenuating circumstances are proved.

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Guidelines for Exhibitors

These guidelines re-iterate some of the information in the Rules and Regulations.
1. Only botanical subjects to be depicted (life-size or larger).
2. Larger-than-life subjects to include a scale. Sizes of works - see note 7 in Rules and Regulations above.
3. Where labelling is used -  common names - lower case lettering only is used e.g. foxglove, dandelion, birch, except where there is a proper name attached e.g. St. John’s wort, Douglas fir, Sitka spruce etc.  - scientific names - the first name (generic name, genus) always starts with an upper case (capital) letter, as for example in: Pinus sylvestris, Sorbus aucuparia, Euphorbia myrsinites Rosa rugosa. From this it can be seen that the second name (specific name, species) always starts with a lower case letter, even when it is a proper name as in sylvestris, aucuparia, douglasii, vulgaris etc. Family names are usually given upper case first letters e.g. Rosaceae, Pinaceae,etc., but rose family, bilberry family, birch family, pine family, are all lower case.
4. Latin names to be shown on all exhibit cards. These to be accurate.
5. Eight works to be displayed in order to be considered for an award.
6. Themed/related subject matter is important and attracts a higher award.
7. Artists to give considered attention to the overall design of their complete exhibit.
8. Mounts to be white/off-white/antique white or similar colour and of dimensions which add to rather than detract from the unity of the individual display.
9. EXHIBITION SPACE. This is allocated on boards measuring 7ft 6inches high x 3ft wide (2.28m x0.914m). Space is at a premium and artists are asked to consider carefully how many boards they need. Two, three and four (max) board runs are possible. That is 6ft, 9ft and 12ft. Lengths. The display boards, which are currently covered in mid-grey coloured fabric, extend to floor level but artists should note that the bottom edge of the works should not be below 2ft 6inches (approx 76cm) above ground level. The boards are arranged in continuous lengths. Each display area is divided from the next by a board set at right angles which is approx. 18inches wide.
10. The fixing of works to these screens is by means of ‘Velcro‘ pads/strips attached to the backs of the pictures. See Presentation Guidelines note 4.

Sales
If an artist is approached regarding a sale of an exhibit, it must be made very clear that such a transaction is only possible after the showing of the works at the second exhibition at RBGE, and that the sale is a private arrangement between the artist and the buyer. There is no bar to artists noting and reserving works for interested parties during the exhibition periods.

Awards
Gold, silver-gilt, silver and bronze classes are awarded at the discretion of the judging panel and take the form of embossed presentation cards. There are no monetary awards.
Artists are judged to have reached a high level to qualify for entry to the exhibition but the judges are free to withhold an award if they agree it is below bronze level.
The judges' decision is final.

The Mary Mendum Medal
This medal has been struck in memory and honour of Mary Mendum who was a botanical artist at the RBGE and who died in 2004. This unique silver medal may only be awarded to an artist, whom in the judges’ opinion has presented an exceptionally outstanding exhibit, so it may not be awarded every year. The medal is presented free the first time an artist wins it, but if the same artist wins it subsequently, a special award card will be issued. (The artist may purchase a second or subsequent medal if he/she wishes.)

Judging criteria
The botanical illustrations exhibited have to describe the plants they show accurately in form, colour and detail, and all works are judged using the same criteria whichever ‘category’ they are in. In addition there is an aesthetic component which may be described as the quality of the work. It includes composition, contrast, delicacy of line and how it describes the forms etc. These are also vital components and allow the judges to grade the awards.

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Presentation Guidelines

Because of the composition and temporary nature of the display boards, it has been decided that paintings/illustrations shown at BISCOT will not be framed but will be presented for display as described below.

1. MOUNT TO BACKING SHEET. Each work is to be mounted on a backing sheet as if for framing. The backing board/sheet should be a minimum of 3mm thick (5mm maximum). The mount should be hinged at one side, not along the top edge (acid-free framer’s tape performed best). The side-hinged mounts performed better than the top-hinged ones in our humid atmosphere.
2. FIXING THE SHEET OF ACETATE. This is to be a window and should not extend to the edges of the backing sheet - finish at least 1/2inch (2.5cm) within the outside edges. This difference in size allows the backing sheet and mount to be fixed together with small spots of glue (more below). Some artists use two-sided sticky tape for this but it was only successful in the lighter/smaller mountings. The acetate is inserted under the window mount/mat and taped in place along the top edge. This allows natural movement of the acetate due to changes in humidity and prevents cockling/buckling so avoiding most reflection. It may also be loosely taped at other points but continuous lengths of tape at sides and bottom edges of the acetate sheet are not recommended. For larger works you may wish to use the slightly heavier weight of acetate sheet.
3. CLOSE the mount and secure it so that it will not hinge open. Some artists do not wish to stick the mounts to the backing sheet for various reasons - one being that they may wish to use the same mount/mat again. We found that if the glue used was applied in small spot amounts just inside the edges, the backing sheet and mount/mat could be separated later by sliding a razor blade carefully between the two layers with minimal damage.
DOUBLE MOUNTING. If you choose to use this kind of stepped mount, both should be stuck firmly to each other so that they cannot separate at the edges. If both mounts do not extend to the full width and height of the backing board, the step causes problems so this should be avoided. (Bostick all purpose extra strong glue performed well)
4. ATTACH self adhesive Velcro on the back of the backing board to hang the work onto the fabric covered display board. Velcro approximately 2/3rds the width of the painting should be used at about ¾“ (4cms.) from top and bottom edges (The Velcro should be the ‘hooky’ kind which will attach to the fabric of the panels.) The work may be easily re-positioned if the initial attachment to the board is lightly done. When the position is correct the Velcro strip areas should be pressed very firmly to ensure good adhesion.
Various mounting boards and acetate sheets are available from good art shops.
‘Velcro’ is available from handicraft shops and from dressmaking /material departments in large stores.

Additional information for artists outside the U.K.
Judging panel - To be appointed - there are changes to the composition of the panel annually.
Postage. Send slides/CD with the assessment entry form plus 3 international reply paid coupons to the address below (Without coupons no return of slides/CD possible.):
    RCHS/BOTANICAL IMAGES SCOTIA EXHIBITION,
    c/o The Education Department, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh,
    20A Inverleith Row, EDINBURGH EH3 5LR, Scotland , U.K.

Shipping of artworks
Artists are responsible for the cost of insuring and shipping their works either for assessment or exhibition, and also for their return. Artworks should be wrapped in bubble wrap and shipped in a re-usable box for return of work. If a wooden crate is used, screws not nails must be used. Styrofoam pellets may not be used. Artworks using these will not be unpacked and will be returned forthwith. A prepaid, return shipping order and labels etc. must be included for the return of work. Artists may also use mail facilities of various sorts - remember to insure your packages and include the full cost for the return of works. Hand/shipping delivery of art works may be made during working hours Mon - Fri.
For Additional Queries Contact: coralprosser@supanet.com

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BOTANICAL IMAGES SCOTIA

APPLICATION FORM FOR ASSESSMENT OF BOTANICAL WORKS

Applicants should note that four works must be sent to the selection panel c/o Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to arrive by the 24th May. The panel’s decision will be sent to the artists by the 30th June. The successful artists will be eligible to apply for space at the next exhibition the following June and for five further years. (Please consult the notes on eligibility for further clarification.)

PLEASE WRITE YOUR DETAILS IN CAPITAL LETTERS. (Handwriting can be very difficult to decipher)
PLEASE GIVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS.

First name..........................................Surname..........................................................

Address with postcode................................................................................................

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Email address............................................................................................................

Description of works (medium, title and overall size)

1. ............................................................................................................................

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2. ............................................................................................................................

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3. ............................................................................................................................

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4. ............................................................................................................................

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Each work must be labelled on the back with the artist’s name and address and the title of the work. All works may be collected between the 1st - 8th July. Arrangement for collection must be made in advance. It is the artist’s responsibility to ensure that the works are packaged adequately and insured. If works are to be returned by carrier/post etc. It is the artist’s responsibility to ensure that the packaging in which the works are sent  is able to be re-used for the return journey and any money/stamps/vouchers/carriers payment etc needed for the return of the works, is either sent with the works or has been paid to the carrier who is to uplift the works.

Send to :-

BOTANICAL IMAGES SCOTIA at GARDENING SCOTLAND,

C/O EDUCATION DEPT.,

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN EDINBURGH,

20A INVERLEITH ROW,

EDINBURGH EH3 5LR

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