Margaret Mee

Margaret Mee is a botanical artist and environmental activist who, at the age of 43, moved from England to Sao Paulo, Brazil to paint. It was here that she cultivated her appreciation for plant life, which was the central focus of her paintings. Over the span of 30 years, Mee completed 15 expeditions through the Amazon basin during which she – guided by natives – sketched, painted, and collected plants. Her paintings capture orchids, bromeliads, cacti, clusa, and other plants native to the Amazon rainforest. As an environmental activist, Mee used her artwork as a means through which to draw attention to the forces threatening the Amazon rainforest including mining and deforestation.