Sunanda Verma Widel

Sunanda’s passion for art began in childhood, threading its way through her academic years, culminating in a degree in Printmaking. This foundation paved the way for a long career in art education at International Schools around the world. 

After retirement, she turned her attention to her personal artistic endeavours, and she chose to focus on combining her love for plants and painting. She embarked on the 2-year Distance Learning Diploma Course (DLDC) offered by the Society of Botanical Art (SBA), London. When she graduated from the course in 2018 it was with a distinction, and a Certificate of Botanical Merit for her diploma piece titled "Ficus auriculata."

Her artwork has been exhibited at the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) show in Marin, California, at the "Florilegium: a Gathering of Flowers" exhibition hosted by the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh (RBGE), and at the Flora of Southeast Asia exhibition at the Botanical Art Gallery in Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG). Her artwork is also held in the archive collections at both the RBGE and the SBG.

In 2024, her artwork is set to be shown at two prestigious exhibitions: the 17th International exhibition at the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation in Pittsburgh, USA, and at the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Botanical Art and Photography Show in London.

As a member of ASBA in the USA, the Botanical Art Society (Singapore), and a fellow of SBA in London, Sunanda actively engages with botanical artists and art communities worldwide.

As a long-time resident of Singapore, she relishes the opportunity to frequent the UNESCO heritage Singapore Botanic Gardens regularly. You can often spot her amidst the lush surroundings, armed with her easel, sketch pad, pencil, and paints, diligently conducting studies of plants. Her focus is on capturing the intricate details and vibrant colours of the tropical flora, a continuous source of inspiration and delight for her.

Sunanda's Instagram