Caversham artist creates paintings for Royal Mail stamps

A former artist blacksmith has created a series of rose paintings for a Royal Mail stamp collection.

Marie Burke, a botanical painter who grew up in Caversham, was commissioned by Royal Mail to produce a collection of rose paintings for the new stamps.

Her watercolour designs, already in circulation, showcase a range of rose varieties, from wild species to classic garden cultivars.

Ms Burke, now based in Glastonbury, said: “Roses have an extraordinary variety of form and colour.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate their beauty and subtle detail through the designs for Royal Mail.”

Each painting was carefully composed to ensure the clarity and definition of the flower, even at stamp size.

Ms Burke is known for her highly detailed watercolours, with a particular focus on peonies and roses.

Her work explores the beauty of the natural world and the subtle changes that occur throughout a plant’s life cycle.

This includes the twists, turns, and colour shifts that appear as flowers bloom, fade, and dry.

Before turning to painting, Ms Burke trained and worked as an artistic blacksmith.

She created sculptural pieces from forged steel, often inspired by organic forms and shapes found in nature.

However, after the birth of her two children, working with large metal structures became impractical.

She began painting at her kitchen table, where she discovered a natural affinity for watercolour.

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In addition to her professional practice, Ms Burke runs an international online watercolour school.

She teaches students how to paint botanical subjects with confidence and precision.

The new stamps are now available from Royal Mail.