Cheers Jay. Think Id need to have significantly more mishaps to make it longer than a pamphlet, but thanks so much for the vote of confidence! x

Hi Victoria, what a lovely comment! Thank you so much. Saying sorry when you’ve done wrong is kind of important to me, and it was helpful to see things from Dana’s view point. Oh, poor you with the dogs and the yard! Yes, it’s an indulgence to look at the tiny things, and easier than recording a whole animal or plant. And even a corner of a leaf can prove pretty absorbing! Glad you share my feelings! Thanks again for such kind comments, about my work and also about my blogs and even (bless you) about my morals! Much appreciate it, you’ve quite buoyed me up. Now I’d better go and draw a gecko foot, one of my latest list of commissions..

Hi Charmaine, what a wonderful comment, thank you so much. Yes, Xmas and New year are a funny old time. Lots of little things to do, lots of free time, but somehow no space to get thoroughly “stuck in” to anything. I do hope you like the rest of my stuff, and the films. I’m adding you to my mailing list now, thankyou. Yes, here’s to a better and more normal 2021!

Hi Dana

Oh this comment has made me feel so bad, and sad. And I know you’re right. I hasten to say that I would never, not in a million years steal a rose or a sunflower! That’s outrageous. Generally what I take, which in truth I don’t do often, are actual weeds rather than cultivated plants, as most of my work calls for wild flowers. But even if they’re not the carefully cultivated ones, you’re right, I shouldn’t do it. It might alarm someone to see me crouching by their front gate picking groundsel.

I also have to say that since being told off about the lilac, the only cultivated flowers I’ve taken was one leaf of Cerastium, and a couple of sprigs (no flowers) from municipal car-parks. But your point is entirely valid, and well worth thinking carefully about.

Im so very sorry that you’re not able to grow things in your front yard anymore, that’s so horrid for you. And yes, I think drawing a parallel between nurturing plants and making something beautiful grow, and creating an illustration is valid. Next tiume I see one of “my” species I’m remember what you say, and either leave it entirely alone, or go and knock on the door and ask. WHo know, it could even lead to new friendships!

Thanks for taking the time to leave such a heart-felt and thoughtful post. I think it will change the way I see things, and I thank you for that.

Yours
Lizzie

Now you know what, taking a photo is almost certainly going to get you into less trouble than stealing… I know exactly what you mean about having to do U turns to go and take a closer look!

Thanks for the Bison offer too, they are amazing animals…although Im not sure Im that keen to get tooo close to them again in a hurry!

Thanks so much for your lovely comments

X

Because I know you’re joking, and I know it’s “just a bit” of a larger shrub. But I’ve had to stop gardening entirely in my front yard because so many people took “just one flower”. Or “just a sprig”. And I ended up losing an entire bed of sunflowers, along with most of my roses.

It’s baffling to me that you have this attitude, even in jest. Isn’t this something that artists deal with all the time? It’s “just a sketch” or “not worth that much”. I work just as hard on my garden as I do on my art. I choose plants, buy them, plant them, and do everything I can to make sure they grow. There’s site selection, watering, fertilizing, pruning, deadheading, buying and hanging shade cloth… I could go on all day. I put so much work into my garden. And it breaks my heart that another artist would steal from that, just like it breaks my heart when someone copies or uses an artist’s work without permission.

So while I understand the humor of this post, and I’m not enjoying being a buzzkill–please don’t steal plants anymore. So much work and love goes into a garden, and it’s so disheartening that an artist would choose to be one of the people who takes away from that. Your work is beautiful and meaningful and I hope you do it forever. But my work, in that garden you just took “a tiny bit” from, is beautiful and meaningful, too. And now I don’t have a front garden anymore because so many people took “a few sprigs”.

By all means, keep asking people if you can take something! I’d gladly give flowers to any artist, and I’d be doubly excited to give to one who was doing illustrations for a book. But please don’t steal anymore. I want to have a front garden again. And as long as people make excuses for this attitude, I won’t be able to.