I'm Wendy, an evolutionary ecologist and botanical/natural history artist.
Since I was young, I've always loved both science and art. But, as is the case for so many of us, in university I ended up studying science. I pursued a B.Sc. joint major in Physics & Biology, and in my last year I found myself in a course on plant evolution, simply because it fit into my class schedule. My friends, that was it. I was done for. I was hooked on plants.
I went on to complete my M.Sc. at Trent University studying the evolution of plant reproductive strategies, and then a PhD at the University of Guelph where I got into the wonderful world of polyploid ecology and evolution. From there it was on to Queen's University for a two-year postdoctoral fellowship, followed by another postdoc position at the University of Toronto Mississauga. If you'd like to know more about my academic work, you can read about my projects on the Research and Publications pages.
By this time art had fallen by the wayside for nearly 15 years. But following some big life upsets and changes in 2021-2022, I suddenly felt the urge to start painting again as a way to calm my heart. I picked up my first set of watercolours, and what better subjects to paint than my lovely plants? Here I discovered that botanical illustration was indeed A Thing, and I enrolled in an online certificate course by the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh.
And so begins the next chapter of my life. I am on a journey to find out where to go from here, and how I can satisfy both my scientific and artistic sides. For now, I am creating artwork in which I emphasize the ecological and evolutionary stories of plants. I love to be able to use my paintings for science communication, to raise awareness of the central role that plants play in both natural ecosystems and in human society. Plants are always shaping our world around us, though we may not always realize it, and I aim to highlight the personal connections we all have with plants in our everyday lives. Check out some of my artwork on the Art Gallery page!
Hello!
