“Just like the lotus we too have the ability to rise from the mud, bloom out of the darkness and radiate into the world.” —UnknownFor Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’ve collaborated with botanical watercolour artist Lucinda Law, on the Lotus Wrap. Featuring handpainted lotus flowers and leaves, it encapsulates the sacred meaning of the sacred lotus—beauty, purity and divinity, as a tribute to the resilience and strength of breast cancer patients, caregivers and volunteers.
Here, we introduce the talented artist who brought the symbolic plant to life.
Banyan Tree x Lucinda Law Lotus Wrap
A botanical watercolour artist, teacher and writer, Lucinda is a lover of all things natural. Her creative nature-led studio Within is a combination of her love for nature, art and helping others in their journeys towards creative confidence. We visit Lucinda in her studio to learn about her journey as a botanical artist in Singapore, and her thoughts on the healing power of nature.
Hi Lucinda! Tell us about your background, how did you get into botanical art?
About three years ago, I experienced a series of major life changes over the course of a few months and went on a five-month sabbatical, which awoke my deep affection for nature. Driven by this passion, I started my creative studio Within to focus on nature-inspired art programmes and began creating botanical-led art and design work.
What motivates you as an artist?
My aim as a botanical artist is to bring out the beauty of nature and the benefits of art and nature for city dwellers. I started Within with the objective to lead people towards nature-led art. We hope to get people to live life closer to nature and foster deeper connections between nature and themselves.
What is your creative process like?
My creative process often allows me intimate access and connection to the botanical subjects. I enjoy the entire process – from being out in the gardens or nature looking for the right subjects to portray, to the long hours of painting at my studio or as an artist-in-residence. It is common for me to devote 36 to 60 hours to a painting. By the end, I am in deep admiration of the plants.
Do you have a favourite plant and why?
I have an ongoing fascination with palms. I love their elegance and functionality. My current favourite palm is the Licuala spinose which has a glamourous pinwheel look.
Do you prefer working indoors or outdoors?
I like to work surrounded by nature, be it indoors or outside. My initial creative process usually brings me out in nature to look for the subjects or get inspirations from the space. After which, I’ll usually create the work indoors.
Lotus Wrap in the making
How did you come to choose watercolour as your medium?
Watercolour holds so much affection for me because it can create very dreamy and evocative works and at same time, it can also create intricate details. It also enables me to travel to various locations to teach and paint because the tools are relatively light. I can sit in any room to paint, but preferably in a room with an amazing view of nature!
Did you enjoy the collaboration process for the Lotus Wrap? Was the realisation of the lotus plant different from the other plants you have worked on?
I thoroughly enjoyed the collaboration with your team. You took time to listen and understand my creative process and provided invaluable help to enable me to depict the Nelumbo nucifera accurately, including giving me a lot of creative freedom to design the final print. I've known friends who have survived breast cancer and I really wanted to honour their resilient spirit and the love from their caregivers.
The main lotus leaf in the painting is based on my plant photography sessions in London. After I was awarded the commission, I found the most photogenic lotus leaves at The Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens, London. The lotus flower bud and smaller leaves were spotted in Singapore in a lotus pond at Gardens by the Bay.
Painting is a meditative practice for me so when I was painting the plant, the sacred beauty and message of the lotus really helped me appreciate further the people and experiences that are dear to my heart.
We hear you organise creative retreats! Tell us about them.
Our creative retreats are an extension of our botanical art workshops and courses. We create a sanctuary for our guests to find creative confidence in their art practice and rejuvenation in nature. Each of our retreats have a special theme that is linked to the nature-inspired destination or property that we’re visiting.
In the past, we’ve collaborated with Queen Sirikit Botanic Gardens in Chiang Mai and held a creative retreat focused on edible flowers inspired by the latest staff research on edible flowers of Northern Thailand. Our upcoming retreats are at Chiang Mai in November, and Hawaii in February next year.
15% of proceeds from the Lotus Wrap will be donated to Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF), in support of breast cancer awareness and of women and families affected by breast cancer. The sustainable fabric wrap, woven from plastic bottles, serves as the exclusive gift wrapping option for the month of October.
To learn more, view the Lotus collection.
To find out more about Lucinda, Within and her upcoming workshops and retreats, visit lucindalaw.co/