Leigh Ann Gale

A professional botanical artist, tutor, and author, Leigh Ann began her artistic career as a graphic designer after graduating from Ravensbourne art college with a BA (Hons) in Visual Communication in 1989. Following a move to Sussex, she took up botanical illustration and in 2004 completed a diploma in Botanical Art and Illustration at the English Gardening School, Chelsea Physic Garden, London. This was followed in 2008 with a post graduate teaching certificate. Leigh Ann is a Fellow member of the Society of Botanical Artists (SBA).

Over the years Leigh Ann has been awarded medals for her work and has exhibited extensively around the world. Many of her paintings are held in private collections in the UK and worldwide, including the Royal Archives and the permanent collection at the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Pittsburgh, USA.

Leigh Ann has extensive experience of working with, and contributing botanical artwork to several florilegia, including The Florilegium Society at Sydney Botanic Gardens, Australia; the Hampton Court Palace Florilegium Society and the Nymans Florilegium in Sussex. She is a co-founder of the Leonardslee Florilegium also in Sussex.

Teaching botanical art has become a passion for Leigh Ann. She tutors a wide range of botanical art and illustration courses and workshops from her home teaching studio near Horsham, and at various locations throughout Sussex, Surrey, and London. With her wealth of experience, she is renowned for her calm, encouraging and supportive approach to teaching students of all abilities and is a highly regarded mentor and adviser on the art of botanical painting. Leigh Ann is also a tutor on the Society of Botanical Artists Distance Learning Diploma Course.

Leigh Ann has written about botanical illustration and her methods in three books published by The Crowood Press: ‘Botanical Illustration – the complete guide’ (2018 HB, 2023 SB), ‘Colour for Botanical Artists and Illustrators’ (2021) and ‘Drawing and Painting Leaves’ (2025).

Leigh Ann lives near Horsham in West Sussex with her husband and two cats, and she has one grown up daughter and a granddaughter.

To see galleries of Leigh Ann's work and find information about her courses and workshops, visit her website.