"The Art of Plants" article from the Ithraeyat Magazine (Saudi Aramco)

Botanical art is one of the most meticulous and dedicated forms of art that brings nature’s treasures alive. For decades, Sue Wickison has been perfecting this art, capturing a world few get to see in real life.

With an impressive list of accomplishments and awards, Sue, who was born and brought up in Sierra Leone, West Africa, was influenced by her father. A teacher, amateur botanist, and an artist, Sue’s father saw the same love of nature and passion in his daughter and so would take her on adventures and expeditions locating, identifying, and collecting botanical specimens.

Often, plants and the heritage around them are taken for granted, but thanks to dedication by artists like Sue, and the recent push to protect the natural world, plants are getting the attention they truly deserve.

“Helping to record intangible plant heritage is critical for maintaining the cultural diversity of societies and promoting sustainable relationships with the environment. Efforts to safeguard this heritage may include documenting traditional knowledge supporting community-based conservation initiatives,” said Sue, who plays an important role in visually documenting this natural world.

She likes to highlight rare and endangered species to bring awareness to them and garner support for their protection. Her latest project, ‘Plants of the Quran, History and Culture,’ is the culmination of many years of research and dedicated hard work between two women. From a tiny mustard seed to a majestic date palm, and obscure plants of the desert to well-known culinary staples such as figs, onions, lentils, gourds and olives – this book is a truly unique body of work.

Ithraeyat magazine met up with Sue, and is privileged to showcase her latest work as part of this special edition dedicated to intangible heritage.