Michaelmas Star, Pack of 10 Greeting Cards

Michaelmas Star is reproduced from my original painting following a visit on Michaelmas Day 2025, to Old Court Nurseries and Picton Gardens. The nursery, nestled in the Malvern Hills, specialises in Michaelmas Daisies and holds the National Collection. I was inspired by the riot of bold colours and the echoes it had to my box of highly pigmented soft pastels. Sometimes my art doesn’t want to be muted and delicate it just wants to sing out colour in a noisy and celebratory manner. The bouncing vibration of colours on the paper captured how alive my senses felt walking through the Picton Garden that September day. The Christian holiday of Michaelmas is about ‘facing fears and strengthening resolve’ which perfectly reflects my current mindset following breast cancer. The ‘star’ element comes from the Greek word aster which means star and refers to the shape of the flower head.

Michaelmas Star, Picton Gardens, is currently on display at Worcester City Art Gallery until 18th January 2026 as part of the Worcester Society of Artists 77th Annual Art Exhibition.