Mark Isaac-Williams was born in Hong Kong. His interest in botany and love of nature began whilst he was at school in the UK, and from an early age he would record flowers, plants and insects in watercolour and pencil.
In 1979 he began working on local orchids with Gloria Barretto in the Conservation Section of the Kadoorie Farm & Botanical Gardens in Hong Kong, learning a great deal about local orchids and their habitat. His talent at botanical painting resulted in him illustrating several species of orchid which were new to Hong Kong and he travelled extensively in Asia, looking for new species. In 1989 his book "An Introduction to the Orchids of Asia" was published.
Following a career in horticulture in both England and Australia, Mark returned to Hong Kong, retired in 2000, and began painting full-time. He completed several botanical art courses in the UK. In 2002, his second book "Growing Orchids for Greenhouse & Conservatory" was published.
In 2008 he was recalled to the Kadoorie Farm & Botanical Gardens to work once again in the conservation area of local orchids, and in 2012 he was invited to be their Resident Artist, working on botanical illustrations of all specie orchids. Mark works mainly in watercolour and occasionally coloured pencil.
In 2011, he was a contributor to the book "The Wild Orchids of Hong Kong". This had begun in very rough form with Gloria, 40 years previously, and is considered the first authoritative book on orchids in Hong Kong.
In both 2016 and 2017, Mark was awarded Silver Gilt medals for his work at the Royal Horticultural Show in the UK.
To see Mark at work, click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrMQawZhnjU
To learn more about the Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden, click here http://www.kfbg.org.hk/
In 1979 he began working on local orchids with Gloria Barretto in the Conservation Section of the Kadoorie Farm & Botanical Gardens in Hong Kong, learning a great deal about local orchids and their habitat. His talent at botanical painting resulted in him illustrating several species of orchid which were new to Hong Kong and he travelled extensively in Asia, looking for new species. In 1989 his book "An Introduction to the Orchids of Asia" was published.
Following a career in horticulture in both England and Australia, Mark returned to Hong Kong, retired in 2000, and began painting full-time. He completed several botanical art courses in the UK. In 2002, his second book "Growing Orchids for Greenhouse & Conservatory" was published.
In 2008 he was recalled to the Kadoorie Farm & Botanical Gardens to work once again in the conservation area of local orchids, and in 2012 he was invited to be their Resident Artist, working on botanical illustrations of all specie orchids. Mark works mainly in watercolour and occasionally coloured pencil.
In 2011, he was a contributor to the book "The Wild Orchids of Hong Kong". This had begun in very rough form with Gloria, 40 years previously, and is considered the first authoritative book on orchids in Hong Kong.
In both 2016 and 2017, Mark was awarded Silver Gilt medals for his work at the Royal Horticultural Show in the UK.
To see Mark at work, click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrMQawZhnjU
To learn more about the Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden, click here http://www.kfbg.org.hk/
Autumn gelder rose berries, watercolour, 38.5x31cm