Billy ShowellBA SBA
Billy has become an internationally known botanical painter, illustrator, and tutor in Kent, UK.
Initially, Billy trained in fashion design and illustration, but she quickly turned to her first love, painting and illustration.
Her works are distinguishable by her striking, fluid and sometimes unusual compositions. Billy has won various botanical awards, an RHS SGM, 7 SBA Certificates of Botanical Merit, a gold medal from the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, and many awards for 'People's Choice'. Billy has artwork in The Botanic Garden's collection at Kew, the Hunt Institute USA, and the Shirley Sherwood collection; her work is also held in many private collections worldwide. Billy has also created over 200 species illustrations for the International Fragrance Federation and has painted many illustrations for commercial food companies.
Alongside Billy's painting and illustrating, she is also a prolific teacher. She teaches at her studio and regularly across the UK and worldwide.
Passionate about sharing her tips and skills, Billy has produced four best-selling books on her painting style; she also runs a successful and popular online tutorial watercolour website-
The Billy Showell School of Botanical Art, the link to which is www.billyshowell.com.
In 2019, Billy became the Co-President of the Society of Botanical Artists, a position she held for three years. She has been a member since 2001.
In 2022, she was asked to design the Shirley Sherwood Botanical Award for Botanical Art certificate.
In 2024, Billy was delighted to become a member of the Society of Graphic Fine Art (SGFA), which opened new directions for her art.
At the heart of Billy's work is her love of design, plants, and watercolour. Billy desires to bring as many people to this art form as possible. On occasion, her work is light-hearted, and her compositions are often joyous and whimsical.
Over the 24 years of painting and teaching, Billy has introduced her love of painting plants to hundreds of budding painters. Sharing is her passion, and loving the process of making pictures is her mantra. Botany can bring enlightenment, painting helps document the beauty of nature, and the pure joy of composing can encourage artists to challenge the norm.
