Artist's Projects

Úrsula Romero (formally known as Jessica Shepherd or Inky Leaves) is an internationally recognized master flower painter, artist and teacher. Predominantly a painter, Úrsula plays with light, composition and scale to create intimate, poetic engagements between the viewer and their natural environment, making works that bring us closer to the mystical, extending the general status quo of botanical painting techniques.

Úrsula trained in botany before committing herself fully to painting so that she would understand the processes of plants more comprehensively. Equipped with this scientific knowledge, Úrsula is now testing new approaches to her artwork to push the capacity for botanical art to bring greater awareness of plants and our interaction with them. In 2014, she was featured on the BBC4 documentary “In Search of Rory McEwen” where she demonstrated how to paint on vellum.

In 2017, Úrsula held her first solo exhibition in London, published her first book titled ‘Leafscape’ and produced the Leafscape soundtrack. She started Inky Leaves Publishing in the same year. In 2018, Úrsula launched a cross-disciplinary botanical art publication called INK Quarterly which ran for three years, and embarked on her next project Blue Flower. She has exhibited internationally and her works have been included in exhibitions at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, The National Botanic Garden, Dublin and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. She has 7 pieces in the Shirley Sherwood Collection.

Now, can be found quietly working on her latest flower painting project whilst restoring a historic property in Andalucía.

Links:

Personal Website
Instagram/inkyleaves
Instagram/ursula.romero.arte
Facebook
Linkedin

More about Ùrsula Romero:

Natureartlab.com
Jessica Rosemary Shepherd
Article by Katherine Tyrell

Video1
Video2

TESTIMONIALS:

Úrsula's work is an incredible springboard for real artistic work. She lets everyone have their own autonomy, while answering the bigger life questions that can arise in the practice of art. Her philosophical insight into what it is to live as an artist is immense and she knows how to give the necessary confidence for students to progress with confidence. It's a real experience to live through, to feel free and safe while painting. What's more, she has a wealth of knowledge that she shares with great generosity. — Sophie. P

I thoroughly enjoyed my lesson with Úrsula. She was very generous in the sharing of her knowledge and explained her processes clearly. Her attitude towards her style, in that she has thrown out the ‘rule book’ is truly inspiring and has given me the courage to have faith in myself and my own convictions. — Jackie. H

I’ve been following Úrsula’s work for many years and I'm so glad I've been able to join one of her classes. She is very open about her knowledge, honestly sharing all of her tips and tricks on how to approach painting a giant leaf from start to finish. The class is very relaxed and informal and Úrsula is very kind and patient in fulfilling student's requests. — Marina. C

Úrsula is a great teacher who is not shy of teaching us her secret tips so we can achieve amazing results . So much knowledge is packed during her workshops and yet she teaches us all in a relaxed manner, covers all the syllabus and is open to questions at all times. - — Claudia. N

Select: