My next show will be at the Pullens Yards Open Studios on 6-8 December 2024. I’ll have large range of framed, unframed and mounted prints for sale in all sizes plus cards and lots of special offers. Opening times are Fri 6.12 18.30-21.30, Sat 7.12 11.00-18.00, Sun 8.12 11.00-18.00. Hope to see you there!
I will be teaching a new photography course in Spain next April. Set in the stunning mountain retreat at Mas de la Serra, Terual, Aragon, the five day/four nights course will be called ‘Photography with Kevin Dutton – Plants and Nature in Aragon’. In a wonderfully relaxed setting, the course is suitable for all kinds of camera users and will help improve knowledge and camera technique whilst exploring landscape, plant compositions and close-up photography. Full details are now HERE at the Mas de la Serra website but please contact me with any questions or enquiries.
My next weekend course at West Dean College in West Sussex will be “Summer Garden Photography”, 30 Aug to 1 Sept. More details here.
My stand HC944 at Hampton Court, 1-7 July.
I’m looking forward to my next course, teaching ‘Botanical Photography – Plant Portraits’ at West Dean College in Sussex. 3-5 May.
I’m looking forward to Pullens Yards Open Studios on 1-3 December, Elephant & Castle, London. I’ll be there all weekend with lots of framed, unframed and mounted prints plus ten new card designs for sale. Hope to see you there.
I’ll be exhibiting work again at Midcentury Modern, Dulwich College, London on 19 November and at the Pullens Yards Open Studios on 1-3 December, Elephant & Castle, London. There will be lots of framed, unframed and mounted prints plus new cards for sale.
Looking forward to the Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival where, from 4-9 July, I will be at Stand 854 in the Country Living Pavilion. There will be lots of new work: framed and unframed prints in all sizes, plus mounted prints and my new range of cards.
Teaching at West Dean College, Sussex. 12-14 May 2023.
I’ll be back at West Dean College soon, teaching ‘Botanical Photography – Plant Portraits’. Photographing plants in the beautiful gardens and in the studio, students will learn new techniques and experiment with individual and mixed plants compositions.
I’ll be showing my work again this year at the Dulwich Festival Artists’ Open House. My work will be exhibited at 93 Woodwarde Road, Dulwich SE22 8UL.
Pullens Yards Open Studios. December 2022.
Looking forward to this last show before Christmas at the Pullens Yards Open Studios in Kennington, London 2-4 December.
Looking forward to showing my work again this year at the Open House in Dulwich. 93 Woodwarde Road, Dulwich SE22 8UL.
Here is one of four new autumn studies now available at www.kevindutton.net . These images were created this time last year using plants, leaves, fungi and berries either grown or found at the allotment.
RHS Botanical Art and Photography Show. September-October 2021.
The RHS Botanical Art and Photography Show will take place at the Saatchi Gallery in London this year from 18th September until 3rd October. Over 200 artists and photographers will display their work. I will have a series of six images of tulips, competing in the portfolio section. More details and ticket information here.
Affordable Art Fair. 8-11 July.
Some of my framed and mounted artworks will be on show this week at the Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London, 8-11 July. You’ll find my pictures at Stand F2 where The Art Buyer gallery will be exhibiting my images alongside lots of other beautiful paintings, prints and ceramics. I’m also looking forward to teaching another Botanical Photography Workshop at West Dean College, Sussex on 23-25 July.
Spring Shows. May 2021.
There are two more spring shows this May where my work will be on display. The Dulwich Festival Artists’ Open House, May 7-16, will mainly be a virtual festival, but artists are able to arrange private, socially-distanced viewings, which is what I will be doing. If you’d like to visit me at my home studio in East Dulwich in the afternoon on either weekend, please contact me to arrange a time. I’ll have framed artwork in all sizes, mounted prints and boxes of new work to see. I’ll also be exhibiting my work, and be there in person, at the Super Nature Art Fair at the Garden Museum, May 21-23. There’s more information about this event at The Garden Museum’s website.
Spring exhibitions. March 2021.
With the end of lockdown now in sight, I’m pleased to provide some details on some upcoming shows. The Art Buyer Online Spring Show is on from 10-31 March. Four of my new photographs will be part of a show featuring 19 UK artists with 75 artworks on display including photography, painting, ceramics and textiles. Included is this plant study used on the poster, Tulipa 4. Gas Gallery will also have some of my new work in theirs spring show starting on 19 March. After that, there should be shows in April and May so I’ll provide details as soon as there is confirmation.
I was rather relieved to read that it’s not too late to plant tulips in January. The earth has been so saturated recently that I’ve left the planting of bulbs until the very last minute. I have numerous varieties of tulip to look forward to in the spring plus a few other unusual bulbs which I’m trying out. I can’t wait to start shooting them in the studio when spring comes.
Autumn Studies. November 2020.
This month there are a number of new autumn plant studies on sale. You’ll find them in the Prints for Sale and #artistsupportpledge pages. Here is one of the first: Vitis 2. This is a grape vine which I planted about fifteen years and, at this time of year, it produces a wonderful range of autumn leaf colours. Here, I was drawn to the beautiful yellows which come as the stronger colours fade just before the leaves fall.
Super Nature. The Garden Museum. October 2020.
Super Nature, an art fair is at the Garden Museum, London, SE1 7LB from 8th-11th October featuring photography, painting, collage, print and ceramics. I’ll be showing new framed and mounted prints. The museum itself is worth a visit with a great restaurant and garden by Dan Pearson.
Next week I will start a weekly sale of new work, taking part in #artistsupportpledge . The concept is a simple: each artist posts works up to £200 on Instagram. Every time an artist reaches £1000 of sales, they pledge to spend £200 on another artist’s work. It’s been a busy spring for me so I’m very exciting to be showing some new, more experimental pieces of work.
Although it will be disappointing not to be doing planned shows this spring, I will be doing a virtual exhibition with AB Design & Interiors on May 9th and 10th. Six images will be shown over the two days via Instagram @duttonphotos and @andesignandinteriors and there will be an Instagram Live interview with me on Saturday 9th at 11.00am where I’ll be discussing plants, art, photography and the creative process. Fortunately the Super Nature show will now take place in the autumn, on October 10th & 11th.
I’ve got dozens of containers full of various bulbs which are starting to show signs of life now. Hopefully there will be all sorts of tulips, narcissi, fritillaria, galanthus and anemones to add to my spring plant compositions. There are some upcoming shows in the spring too including a new one – Super Nature at the Garden Museum in London.
Midcentury Modern at Dulwich College, London SE21 7LD. 15th March. 10am – 4pm.
Supernature at The Garden Museum, London, SE1 7LB. 28-29th March. 10.30am – 5pm.
Dulwich Festival Artists’ Open House , 93 Woodwarde Road, London, SE22 8UL. 8-10th and 16-17th May. 11am – 6pm.
I currently have a stand at the Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival where, on Stand 945 in the Country Living Pavilion, I’ll have lots of framed, mounted and unframed prints on display in all sizes from A4 up to 30″x40″. There will be, for the first time, three unglazed tray framed prints including a new print, Mixed Hellebores 1. The show is on from 1-7 July. Details here.
I will be leading another botanical photography course at the Victoria and Albert Museum on 1st & 2nd March. After that, my work will be on show at The Affordable Art Fair, Battersea, London 0n 7-10 March. I’ll also be at Midcentury Modern in Dulwich, London on 10th March and on 11/12 and 18/19 May, my images will be part of a group show at the Dulwich Festival Artists’ Open House. There will be plenty of new pictures on show which I have been retouching during the autumn and winter months including this one, Mixed Summer Plants 2, 2018.
Here is one of the new images which has been on view in the last few weeks at various shows and exhibitions. It is part of a series of dahlia studies using eight different varieties of dahlias grown in the garden. This one is called Dahlias 3, but there will be more coming soon including landscape versions. It’s almost time for last orders for Christmas. I don’t think framed images are now possible but print only orders before 10th December can still be delivered in time for Christmas.
Here’s the image which I donated to the Secret Charter fundraising event recently to help fund the art department at The Charter School in Dulwich. Hundreds of artists gave pieces of work including Gary Hume, Tracy Emin and Anthony Gormley. Tickets were bought for £40 and the artworks were randomly allocated. Everything sold out in 25 minutes! The work was on show at the Dulwich Picture Gallery and the event raised over £50,000. Looking ahead, I will have new work on show on my stand at Midcentury Modern, Dulwich, London, SE21 7LD on Sunday 18th November, 10am-4pm. Feel free to contact me for free tickets via my contact page – I often have a few spare pairs.
My first show of the autumn will be in London on 28th and 29th September where, in a beautiful house in Dulwich Village, a number of my framed pictures will be on show as part of a group show. AB Design and Interiors will be hosting at 93 Woodwarde Road, SE22 8UL. Full details on their site by clicking the link. There will be more information on forthcoming winter shows soon.
I’ll be busy for the next couple of weekends. The Dulwich Festival Artists’ Open House begins this weekend where I will be showing lots of newly framed images in sizes A4 up to 30″x 40″. There will also be a selection of mounted and unframed work on sale. The address is 158 Overhill Road, London, SE22 0PS. 11am-6pm, 12 & 13 and 19 & 20 May. Prices from £70-£700. I’ll also be leading a two day botanical photography workshop at the Victoria & Albert Museum on 18th and 19th May. Sadly the course is now full but I’m looking forward to meeting the students and showing them some inspirational artwork in the V&A’s prints and drawings study room where they’ll be able to see botanical illustration, paintings and photographic prints before starting their own projects. (For this reason I won’t be there in person at the Open House on Sat 19th May).
In May, I will be leading a two day botanical photography workshop. It’s a two day practical workshop on 18-19 May in the Victoria and Albert Museum in Kensington, London. I had the pleasure earlier in the year of going to the V&A’s prints and drawings room to do some research on how plants have been represented in photography, illustration and painting over the years. I was able to see, firsthand, the work of so many sources of inspiration and it will be great to see the students’ reaction to some of the folios of work which I’ll be selecting. If you’re interested in attending the course please email me with any questions or here are the details on the V&A’s website: https://www.vam.ac.uk/event/6VZkBdQ8/botanical-photography-may-2018
On Sunday 19th November I’ll be showing, alongside other work, lots of my new tulip images taken earlier in the year. The show is at Dulwich College, London, SE21 7LD. 10am-4pm. I’ll have numerous framed, mounted and unframed prints for sale with prices ranging from £70-£700.
I’ve spend a lot of time this year photographing another dozen varieties of tulips. Many of these are on show now for the first time at The Affordable Art Fair in Stockholm, Sweden, 12-15 October.
Windblown chicory, Chicoreum intybus, near the Dorset coast.
Having been down to Cornwall on so many occasions in the summer months, it was a real pleasure to enjoy a few fine days at Easter photographing the coastal plants around the Land’s End and Lizard areas. I’ve put an album of images on my Facebook page kevinduttonphotography. Amongst so many others, I saw spring squills, green-winged orchids, thrift, various sedums, rare western gorse, numerous mosses and lichens, seas of hawthorn blossom and three-cornered leeks which seemed to be everywhere.
The Radical Eye, Elton John’s collection of twentieth century modernist photography is impressive. Great works by Paul Outerbridge, Imogen Cunningham and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy were all on display, beautifully printed (albeit in rather dandy frames!), many of which inspired me to take up photography. Following this I went to the other side of the Tate Modern to the Wolfgang Tillmans show where, to my great surprise, the images I had just seen suddenly seemed not just small (few were larger than 10″ x 8″ prints) but also felt far more culturally distant. Tillmans, working in full colour and sometimes on a huge scale, cheerfully takes on the task of producing all forms of photographic imagery. No genre restrictions for him (The Radical Eye conservatively had themes of portraits, objects, bodies etc.), he gives us everything and more. There are bits of photographic sculpture, political displays and even a room with no pictures at all: just a room with music. It’s not that the The Radical Eye is a bad show. There are numerous undisputed masterpieces there. it’s just they now felt like old masters. Tillmans’ work and especially his ability to use colour – on any scale – felt visceral and immediate. Amusingly, we were welcomed by being told you are allowed to take photos at the show, so here is my shot, looking up at one of Tillmans’ huge unframed hanging giclee prints.
On Saturday 25th February I went to the RHS Botanical Art Show at Lindley Hall, Vincent Square, London. There were numerous outstanding entries to the competition but I particularly enjoyed the work of four artists. Sarah Jane Humphrey’s lavender studies were exquisitely detailed and I was fascinated by the labyrinthine roots of Hideko Kamoshita’s illustrations of Cirsium plants. The image here shows the unconventional compositional style of Bridget Gillespie’s studies of root vegetables, one of which received the best botanical painting award. The best botanical art exhibit award was given to Mariko Ikeda for her set of outstanding watercolour on vellum images of Pandanus (screw pine).
I’m looking forward to adding another new tulip study to the collection at two forthcoming shows this spring. The Affordable Art Fair is at Battersea, London (9-12 March) and Midcentury Modern will be in Dulwich, London (19 March). The composition here, Mixed Tulips 2, was photographed last spring, and the current batches of tulips and other bulbs are just beginning to show signs of life for this year’s work.
This autumn some new prints have been on show in Stockholm and London. Here, Mixed Tulips 4, a composition of the tulips I grew in spring of this year includes Antraciet (magenta/crimson), Dolls’ Minuet (magenta, red flush), Orange Princess, Victoria’s Secret (purple parrot) and Blumex (orange parrot).
Paintings by Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717) at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace. Here’s an image of a grape vine with gaudy sphinx moth. Watercolour on vellum. 1702-3.
I’ll have work on show at three exhibitions starting this week. Firstly, my plant studies will appear for the first time at an art fair in South Korea. Gallery Lee & Bae will be displaying my work at Art Gyeongju 2016, 4-8 May. I’ll also have framed and unframed prints exhibited again at this year’s Dulwich Festival Artists’ Open House in London. On the weekend of 7/8 May (11.00-18.00) I’ll be at 102 Overhill Road, London SE22 OPS and some of my images will also be included at a Gas Gallery group show on 7/8 May at Lowie, 115 Dulwich Road, London, SE24 8QR. Here is one of my new prints: Mixed Plants 6.
