Hand-pulled, limited-edition linocut. All subjects printed on paper measuring 13 x 20 inches (except where noted), signed, dated, titled, and numbered by Henry Evans.
Drawn on January 25, 1976 during a stay at Brown’s Hotel in London. The genus Dahlia was named for Andreas Dahl, one of the Swedish pupils of Linnaeus. The plants, like so many others of exotic and beautiful demeanor, are of Mexican origin (and some species from Guatemala). First grown in England in the late 18th century and first noticed by the hybridizes in the early 19th, now the forms number in the thousands and there is no end in sight. —Henry Evans 245 copies were printed and sell for $300.00 each.
475 Brodiaea and Calochortus
Triteleia laxa (formerly Brodiaea laxa) and Calochortus luteus. Drawn at Jasper Ridge, Stanford University's Biological Preserve. —Henry Evans
290 copies were printed and sell for $200.00 each.
476/477 Daisies
Chrysanthemum leucanthemum. Drawn at home in the Napa Valley. I've often wondered where the idea for the daisy chain came from, and likewise the little circle of daisies woven together to be worn as a crown. It must have been the daisy that was the original "loves me, loves me not" flower. How far back into unrecorded time must we go to learn when the daisy first became the "love flower"? Before the Druids? Would it be more plausible to think of daisies as the "love flower" beginning with Ophelia, Desdemona, and Juliet? I've always felt that, like the lily of the valley, this kind of daisy is one of the quintessential flowers. —Henry Evans
270 copies were printed in monochrome green (not shown) and sell for $50.00 each. 275 copies were printed as shown and sell for $100.00 each.
518 Cactus
Probably Schlumbergera truncata. This plant is commonly called "Christmas cactus." The drawing was made at home. It is a detail from a very large hanging specimen, about forty inches across, that blooms erratically. It may be that my strange watering schedule is not just right, but, somehow, flowers appear in profusion several times during the year. —Henry Evans
170 copies were printed and sell for $100.00 each.
556 Clintonia
Clintonia andrewsiana. I made the drawing at Sam MacDonald County Park in San Mateo County, California. This striking California native ranges from Monterey County to Del Norte County. It thrives in the redwood forests and in similar habitats. There is such a lovely contrast between the seemingly heavy and pendulous leaves and the slender, delicate stalk, with its umbels of bright little flowers. It provides a nice little splash of bright color in the deep woods. —Henry Evans
120 copies were printed and sell for $100.00 each.
562 Asters
There are hundreds of species in the genus Aster and countless hybrids, so I would only be making a wild guess if I were to try to put a name to this one. The drawing was made at home, from flowers purchased from a street vendor in San Francisco. Of all the species of asters described in Hortus Third, only one appears to be South American. All the others listed are native to North America and Eurasia. The aster has a myriad of common names, and some of the more charming are Michaelmas daisy, starwort, and frost flower. —Henry Evans
140 copies were printed and sell for $150.00 each.
584 Lupine
This is the yellow lupine of the central and north-central California coast, probably Lupinus arboreus. The drawing was made on the beach at Van Damme State Park in Mendocino County, California. It was the kind of day no one could fault—not too cold, not too hot. The sky was crystal clear and the air was embroidered with the cries of seabirds. —Henry Evans
125 copies were printed and sell for $100.00 each.
622 Violets
Viola sororia. I drew these violets at the beautiful Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois. Along with the rose, the violet is among the most familiar and dearly beloved of our garden flowers. The Romans made a much admired wine from violet flowers, and the violet perfume of Parma has been coveted for centuries. Napoleon liked to give violets to his lady friends, and candied violets from France are a sweet in good taste to this day. —Henry Evans
103 copies were printed and sell for $200.00 each.
623 Oriental Poppy
Papaver orientale. Of the fifty or so Papaver species, most are native to the Old World, but a few are indigenous to western North America. The so-called oriental poppy is native to southwest Asia, but it has been befriended by European and American gardeners. The large size and bright colors make it an extremely decorative plant—and, obviously, a great favorite of mine. —Henry Evans
94 copies were printed and sell for $300.00 each.
628 Pasque Flower
Anemone patens. Henry made the original drawing at the University of Montana in Missoula. Also called prairie anemone, the pasque flower is the state flower of South Dakota. —Marsha Onomiya Evans
128 Copies were printed in 1989 and sell for $150.00 each.