ArtPlantae Today

A major celebration of 300 years of Australian botanical art will be held at the Art Gallery of Ballarat beginning September 25, 2012.

The exhibition Capturing Flora: 300 Years of Australian Botanical Art will take visitors through a historical journey of how Australia’s amazing and diverse flora have been recorded, interpreted and popularized by botanical artists from William Dampier and the early explorers to the present day.

Gordon Morrison, Director of the Art Gallery of Ballarat who is curating the exhibition, says Capturing Flora will be the most comprehensive exhibition of Australian botanical art ever held in Australia.
He goes on to say:

This is a much-needed tribute to the tradition and practice of botanic art in Australia which has been enjoying a renaissance over the last few decades. We are bringing together works from the Gallery’s collection, many of which have been bought in preparation for this exhibition, with key works from some major institutions.

The 350 original drawings and prints range from colourful works which celebrate Australia’s vibrant and flamboyant wildflowers to black and white drawings which are incredibly detailed and meticulously observed. It’s a show that will appeal to anyone who has ever looked at a flower.

A diverse selection of merchandise and a lavishly produced catalog will be produced for the exhibition. Morrison says the catalog will “be a significant contribution to the field as it will contain a series of scholarly essays and will be the first comprehensive monograph to cover botanical art for over ten years.”

The exhibition will include rare 18th century prints of plants that buccaneer William Dampier found on his visit to the Kimberleys in 1699 and images from Cook’s exploration of the east coast of the continent. It will also address the growing popularity of Australian plants in Australia and the growing interest in Australian plants by European gardeners.

Ferdinand von Mueller, the first director of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne and the instigator of botanical gardens and collections throughout Victoria and elsewhere in Australia, gets a special billing in a section that highlights the link between research and art.

A section of the exhibition will focus on women artists, both amateur and professional, who have made significant contributions to the recording and popularization of Australian plants. Some, like Louisa Meredith and Ellis Rowan have been celebrated for their work, while others like Eliza Blyth and Fannie de Mole are still relatively obscure.

The exhibition concludes with the revival of Australian botanical art that occurred after World War II. This section will highlight the careers of Margaret Stones and Celia Rosser, and will feature a selection of work of some of the best botanical art in Australia, including that by Jenny Phillips, Anita Barley and Mali Moir.

Tourism packages and special workshops will be offered in conjunction with the three-month exhibition. Visitors to the gallery will also have the opportunity to meet with curators.

The Art Gallery of Ballarat is located at 40 Lydiard Street North, Ballarat. Gallery hours are 9 AM – 5 PM daily. Admission is $12 adults, Concession $8, children and gallery members are free. Questions about this special event should be directed to artgal@ballarat.vic.gov.au.

Visit the Art Gallery of Ballarat

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“Capturing Flora” Opens a the Art Gallery of Ballarat

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By Bonnie S. Driggers

Botanical Artists for Education and the Environment (BAEE), a group of botanical artists primarily in the Mid-Atlantic area of the US, have undertaken a project to publish a book of paintings about native plants. Because the destruction of native plants continues at an alarming rate, we hope our book will increase the public’s knowledge and encourage use and conservation of this vital part of our natural heritage.

The working title of the book is American Botanicals: Plants Native to the Mid-Atlantic. The book will reproduce original works of art and include text focused on the importance of each plant as a native. A jury will select artwork from digital images. The book is scheduled to be published in the fall of 2013; an exhibition will follow at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, DC, in the spring of 2014. Artists will donate use of their work but retain the copyright; BAEE will retain the copyright to the book. See contact information below for more details.

Countess Clarissa Bonde, one of our Board Members and Honorary Chairman of Fund Raising, has arranged with the U.S. Botanic Garden to exhibit our paintings beginning in late spring or summer of 2014. Among the judges are Holly Shimizu, Executive Director of the USBG; Bill McLaughlin, Curator of Plants at the USBG; and Dick Rauh, Immediate Past President of the ASBA. One additional judge may be added. We are fortunate to have the support and guidance of Anne-Marie Evans of England.

Call for Entries:

Eligibility: We are inviting all artists in the Mid-Atlantic region who are members of American Society of Botanical Artists or other botanical art organizations to participate.

Subject: Plants native to the Mid-Atlantic defined for this project as including the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Media Accepted: watercolor, graphite, pen & ink, egg tempera, colored pencil

Submission: January 1, 2013. Entry fee: $25 for up to 5 paintings (only 3 will be selected for the book). Digital files only: 360 dpi, 8″ high, TIFF files only. Portrait orientation preferred.

Presentation: Paintings selected should not be matted or framed; BAEE will arrange to have this done for purposes of conformity. Artwork should be created 100% life-size. Very small plants may be enlarged provided a scale is given. For the book, we hope to reduce paintings by no more than 50%. Page size in the book will be 8.5″ x 11″.

Contact: If you are interested or would like more information, such as a list of desirable native plants, more detailed project specifications, or a brochure that gives more information about the project, please contact Bonnie Driggers, BAEE President, or Esther Carpi.

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