Holly Somerville

Holly Somerville is an Irish botanical artist, illustrator and teacher. She has worked for Trinity College, Dublin, and produced the botanical illustrations for the seventh edition of David Webb's An Irish Flora.

Holly Somerville
BornDublin, Ireland
OccupationArtist
NationalityIrish
SubjectBotanical art

Career

Born Holly Nixon in Dublin and went to St Columba's College, Dublin.[1] Somerville has lived in the Glen of Imaal for the past 13 years. She and her family live in an 18th-century farmhouse in Stratford on Slaney where she also paints in her studio overlooking Lugnaquilla mountain.[2][3]

Somerville was educated at Oxford where she completed a master's degree in Plant Sciences at Somerville College. She then completed her education in Edinburgh College of Art with a BA in illustration and photography. Post college in 1994 she was employed by the department of botany in Trinity College, Dublin to assist with specimen illustration. This led to her botanical illustrations for the seventh edition of David Webb's An Irish Flora. This work on botanical illustration brought her commissions from universities across the world.[4] She later taught botanical watercolour at Trinity Botanic Gardens in Dartry.[3]

Somerville is involved in Bloom, the gardening event held each year in the Phoenix Park.[3]

Exhibitions
  • 2017, 2016 Water Colour Society of Ireland Annual Exhibition
  • 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013 Botanical Art in Bloom
  • 2017 Eireannach, National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin
  • 2016, 2015, 2013, 2011 Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition
  • 2016 Plandaí Oidreachta, Irish Heritage Plants, National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin
  • 2016 Art in the Garden Exhibition, Tourin House, County Waterford
  • 2016 New Little Habitats, Ballydorn, County Down, Northern Ireland
  • 2015, 2013 Galway Garden Festival Botanical Art Exhibition, Claregalway Castle
  • 2014 Aibitir: the Irish Alphabet in Botanical Art, National Botanic Gardens, Dublin
  • 2010 Grangecon Cafe, Blessington, Co. Wicklow (solo)
  • 2001 The Garden House, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow (solo)
  • 1999 The Kennedy Gallery, Dublin (solo)
  • 1999 Exhibition of National Trust Paintings, Ulster Museum, Belfast
  • 1998 Ulster Cancer Foundation Annual Exhibition, Belfast
  • 1998 Gloucestershire Society for Botanical Illustration Annual Exhibition, Corinium Museum, Cirencester, UK
  • 1996 Royal Ulster Academy Summer Exhibition, Ulster Museum, Belfast
  • 1996 Artists’ Day on Botanical Illustration, Botany Department, Oxford University, UK
  • 1995 The Bay Tree Gallery, Holywood, Co Down (solo)
  • 1994 Malone House, Summer Exhibition, Belfast

Her work is on display in The National Trust, and Trinity College, Dublin. She is a Fellow of the Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Ballycastle, County Mayo.[5]

Awards

2015 Somerville won three medals for her work in Bloom.[6]

Personal life

Holly was married in 1999 to James Somerville with whom she has three girls: Beatrice, Poppy and Eliza. [7] Eliza is the oldest and appeared in the film School Life, by Neasa Ní Chianáin and David Rane.[8]

References
  1. "Arts Alumni of St. Columba's College". Stcolumbas.ie. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  2. "Unique cultural experiences in Ireland, France, Rome and England". Heraldsun. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  3. David Medcalf. "Wicklow's floral artists are in full bloom". Independent. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  4. Fionnuala Fallon (7 July 2012). "Pretty as a picture". Irishtimes. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  5. "Holly Somerville – The Irish Society of Botanical Artists". Irishbotanicalartists.ie. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  6. "Hugh earns bronze at Bloom – Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  7. "The Great escape / Sunday Independent (Ireland) 21 July 2013". Sunday Independent.
  8. "Inside Ireland's boarding school for seven-year-olds". The Irish Times.
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