“The Township of King has been painted with a rich blue sky, a deep-green tree line and, in a final majestic touch, dotted with the bright colours of spring flowers. To the untrained eye, these details may go unnoticed, but an artist not only recognizes such beauty, but is powerless against the attempt to capture what God has given his attention to.” -ws

Author and artist, Ann Love, who grew up amidst the flora and fauna of the King forests, has returned to her childhood home seeking inspiration for her watercolour paintings from the same surroundings that sparked her imagination as a youngster. Love’s paintings feature flower species native to King Township, and are exquisitely detailed, representing the best each plant has to offer. Her collection, entitled ‘The Happy Valley Forest Series’ is a 25 painting salute to the township she loves.

Although Love lived in Toronto as a child, she spent her weekends and summer holidays in King. It was on her “trips to the country” where she fell in love, both with the beauty of her surroundings, and with her neighbour and childhood friend David, who has since become her husband.

“Although the forest has gotten smaller here since I was a kid, the flowers that grace its floor still capture my interest,” Love told Tapestry.

Love began to assemble her painted record of the flowers of King because “it’s a unique place, and the Nature Conservatory of Canada, a group that buys land for conservation, has named the Happy Valley Forest as one of the 50 natural masterpieces of Canada” which certainly makes it worth recording.

“I’m not sure if I’ll eventually turn the paintings into a book on King,” comments Love, “but it’s certainly something to think about.”

Love works on botanical art in her “quiet time”, choosing moments when she can paint without interruption. Each painting takes about a month to complete, as Love takes the time to “capture the beauty and spirit” of each plant.

“My husband is a photographer and he will actually photograph the plants I want to paint from every angle. This ensures that I can leave the plant uninterrupted and in its natural environment for others to admire,” explains Love. “It’s nice to work with him on this, because it’s something we can do together while walking and discovering the forest. David’s artistic eye also provides me with a new perspective of each plant, helping me to gain a better understanding of its volume. The photographs are ever lasting, remain in the same light and focus, and keep the plant in the same stage of its life-cycle.”

Love opts to paint on rag paper, called hot press, which is made from recycled cotton rags.

“The rag paper retains the transparency of the paint, therefore the work shows best on this paper,” Love explains. “I really find working with water colour a challenge because you have to be spot on, you cannot go back and erase or fix your work. I have to think several steps ahead, or my design can end up looking like mud.”

Currently, Love is working on ‘Monarch and Milkweed’ which may be her favorite piece to date.

“I stopped to pick up a monarch butterfly that had been
struck and killed on the road. I took it home with me, and it since became the inspiration for this painting,” said Love. “I usually don’t paint insects but this time it just fit.”

Love’s paintings are for sale, and are on display at The Rose Gallery in King City and Daniel’s of Nobleton Restaurant. They range in price from $300 to $600.

“I belong to a group of botanical artists named Kaleidoscope whose work has been featured at Daniel’s Restaurant in Nobleton all summer,” said Love. “The exposure our group has received has been wonderful,
especially since many of the flowers we are painting are
returning in smaller and smaller numbers each year.”

Love is also a talented writer, who uses her ability to paint as a stepping stone into her secondary art form.

“Painting helps me with my writing,” Love explains. “Because I often write about the natural world, all of the time I spend recreating nature with my paint brush keeps me focused and thinking. I see them as linked. Writing was also a natural progression for me, as I was a teacher and a librarian in an elementary school for many years.”

In all, Love has published 26 books, which she has produced in tandem with her sister Jane
Drake.

The pair is perhaps best known for their ‘Kids Cottage
Book’ series, a collection of activity manuals that “gives kids things to do with found materials from the natural world.”

The most recent book in the series, ‘The Kids Book of the
Night Sky’, contains star maps, night time activities and stories.

“The book is great for the whole year, but is best in the
summer months, when families are camping and have the opportunity to view the night sky in its full glory,” said Love.

Recent books published by Tundra, include a history of the world from the perspective of a sweet tooth and what to do with your trash- besides throwing it away.

Almost complete is the newest book in the series, which
discusses the concerns of invading alien species. The reference book is great for kids and adults alike who want to understand the concerns facing our forests, waterways and fields as a result of the introduction of several non-native species.

Although Love co-writes children's books, she does not illustrate them herself. “Because I write kids books, they have to have pictures of kids in them, and I’m not interested in painting kids,” admits Love. “The publisher
chooses the artists, but I reserve the right to comment on the accuracy of their illustrations to ensure they provide the right feel.”

She may not like to paint children, but Love certainly adores the children in her life. As the mother of three, and the grandmother of four, Love is deeply committed to her family.

“My life is focused around my art, my home and helping my kids with their children,” Love surmises.

Artist, author and concerned King Township resident, Ann Love is the whole package.

Find out more about Ann Love at www.annlove.com or at www.tundrabooks.com