This debut pocket guide covers the Apocynaceae (or dogbane) family. Beware of oleander, protect milkweed and their pollinators, become friends with periwinkle, and find the rare 毛茸角.
See what's inside
Hoya carnosa by Alyssa Ellis
"Faithful Hoyas"
Alyssa Ellis is a Canadian multidisciplinary artist currently located in Mohkínstsis (Calgary, Alberta). Her work with plants reveals social ills and how their exploitation creates significant impacts on climate change. She holds a diploma in horticulture from the University of Guelph and a BFA from the Alberta University of the Arts and has participated in festivals, exhibitions and residencies across the country.
Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar periwinkle / Vinca de Madagascar) by Bea Montero
"La pequeña jardinera" ("The little gardener")
Collagist, pianist, singer, composer from Madrid (Spain).
My collages and music want to create evocations, emotional journeys to imaginary worlds to reach the depths of oneself. With few elements I like to create a 'less is more' that contains a great background if you stop to look or listen.
All my collages are analog, handmade, cut and pasted by hand without any digital elements. Paper and magazine cutouts, old photographs, markers, paint, thread, small objects...
Matelea pavonii by Charlie Adamson-Hammond
"Matelea pavonii"
Charlie Adamson-Hammond’s work includes videos, ceramics and print, and revolves around everyday consumption and domestic life. The work frequently makes use of the photocopier to distort photographs, stock images, adverts and other found objects.
Studied Fine Art at Central Saint Martins and Contemporary Creative Practice at the University of Plymouth. Works have been exhibited at the Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro; Newlyn Gallery; and the Exchange Gallery, Penzance. Currently based in Cornwall.
Caralluma fimbriata by Chintan Bhatt
"A succulent who loves rocks (Caralluma fimbriata)"
Chintan Bhatt has a master's degree in Plant Taxonomy from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, India. He has been working with various research institutes and private companies in the field of sustainability, biodiversity and ecological restoration. He has formed a company named Redleaflet India Pvt Ltd that provides environmental solutions. He believes in preserving the real wealth which is nature.
Cerbera manghas (sea mango) by Claudia Tong
"A Bunch of Cerbera Manghas"
Claudia is on an artistic mission to give ordinary moments a chance to shine. An artist based in London and a nature lover, she discovers hidden gems of beauty in daily life and turns them into artwork, mainly in landscape and architecture. She also makes illustrations to advocate for environmental conservation, sustainability, health and wellbeing. When not making art, she works in quantitative finance and is passionate about Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing.
Apocynum sp. by Daisy Kong
"Apocynum Impression"
Daisy Kong is a painter and printmaker based in New York City. She graduated from the School of Visual Arts and is currently studying at Columbia University. Her works are mostly landscape, and she wants to use art to capture people's emotions and the subtle moments in her own life.
Stapelianthus pilosus by Deborah Torres
"Hypnotic Apocynaceae"
Deborah Torres “Dibuh” is a Peruvian biologist and artist who is passionate about spreading awe and curiosity of the wonders of life and biodiversity. She beautifully does so through her art, so we can discover, value, respect and protect it. As a naturalistic and scientific illustrator, her inspiration comes from the intricate shapes, patterns, colours and interconnectivity that nature exhibits. Deborah also paints murals, hosts art and science workshops and works with initiatives that foster and raise awareness of wildlife protection. Her goal is to bring people closer to nature and support education and conservation through art.
Vinca minor (common periwinkle) by Laara Cerman
Laara’s work explores the intersection of art, science, and history through investigating patches of wildness that survive within suburban and urban landscapes. Her explorations continue into the forests of British Columbia where she aims to teach herself how to see the diversity of the forest floor in the midst of an era where this knowledge has lost its priority but not its importance. With an ongoing practice of collecting wild plant specimens, Laara is creating a digital herbarium documenting the life cycle of plants while learning about different aspects and uses of flora growing in Canada’s most biodiverse province.
Asclepias exaltata (poke milkweed) by Sam McGowan
"Cat's claw in the family of dogbane"
I'm Sam McGowan, a mixed media artist based in Southern Ontario, Canada. I love capturing the beauty of nature, especially unique plants and animals, in bright colours and textures. I use my passion for biology to create pieces to capture and enhance the vibrancy found in the natural world. I specialize in traditional mediums including watercolour, gouache, marker and coloured pencil, as well as digital programs like Procreate and Adobe Photoshop. Juxtaposing the traditional and the digital is something I enjoy to complete a piece with the amount of colour and life that it deserves.
@sammcarts (Instagram)
@sammcarts (Twitter)
Nerium oleander by Sonhita Chakraborty
"Nerium oleander, a study in neon"
Sonhita is a Toronto-based plant biologist who seeks new and interesting ways to meld two of her biggest passions – science and art. While completing her PhD in plant molecular biology, Sonhita took to making whimsical watercolour and digital paintings of cells. Sonhita wants to breakdown complex biological concepts into simple playful renderings that highlight the beauty of the biological systems she’s passionate about. Her work has been featured in undergraduate biology laboratory manuals at the University of Toronto. More recently, her artwork was displayed at the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) jamboree held in Paris, France in 2022.
@cyberabbit (Instagram)
@qwertess (Twitter)
