Botanica 2015 – The Birds and The Bees...

Webster’s Malle and Musk Lorikeet by Pauline Dewar

Anyone who is a regular of my Instagram account would know that I'm a lover of nature, the environment and spend have my life in the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens so I am thrilled to be promoting "Botanica 2015 - The Birds and The Bees; A stunning exhibition of works by Australia’s finest botanical and natural science artists."

General Event:

18 April –10 May 2015, 10am-4pm

Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney

FREE ENTRY

Botanica Opening Night:

Friday, 17 April 2015, 6pm -8pm

Guest of Honour: His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d) Governor of NSW.

Opening night tickets available from Foundation& Friends on 02 9231 8182 or online at www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/foundationandfriends

Australia’s leading annual botanical art exhibition Botanica returns to the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney in 2015 with works by the best of Australia’s botanic and natural science artists. This year the exhibition builds on 2014 by inviting visitors to venture further into the complex relationship between plants and their pollinators – in this case, the magical conversation between plants and the animal world.

Spiny Any Plant by Deidre Bean

The artists, who are invited to exhibit because of both their national and international reputations and their excellent bodies of work, open a window into the subtle and not so subtle ways in which plants cleverly attract pollinators … and invite reflection on the effect of unbridle human development, habitat destruction, the overuse of pesticides and agricultural practices that are destroying these fragile plant/animal relationships.

This year Botanica will also include a selection of works by the students of Australia’s only Natural History Illustration Degree course offered by the University of Newcastle under the expert tutorage of one of Australia’s leading botanical artists, and Botanica regular, Deidre Bean.

Curator Judy Dunstan says “Last year artists were invited to paint not only plants but their pollinators. So successful was that initiative that in 2015 we’re delighted to continue the focus on pollinators, by asking visitors to consider the various magnificent and magical means by which plants attract, advise and at time discourage their pollinators.

Freesia and Caper White Butterfly by Annie Hughes

I’m particularly delighted to welcome works from students from the Newcastle University, fostering the next era of world class botanical artists.”

Botanical art remains a popular and highly collectable art form. Originally documenting the natural world for reference, this clear and lucid illustration of plant-life is now appreciated by a wide audience for its contemporary art value. As art it distinguishes itself from botanical Illustration, the goal of which is scientific accuracy.

Along with the more traditional watercolour works, Botanica 2015 will also display works using non-traditional mediums, such as colour pencil illustrations and works on vellum.

All works are for sale the proceeds of which benefit the work of Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens (not for profit) and their support of the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust.

Eastern Spinebill on Grevillea ‘superb’ by Kerriann Indorato

#Art #Events