endings and beginnings

The art exhibition last week was a lovely ending to two years working in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens as artist in residence. The exhibition was held in the Richard Randall art studio nestled in the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Garden . All the watercolour and ink paintings were done in the garden during 2017.  Sculptures of birds, insects and plants made out of paper, ceramic and natural materials were also on display.

I will miss the beautiful Brisbane botanic gardens. They have been my inspiration for two years.

Now to clean my studio and get ready for a new project working with nature.

Endangered Species - Eucalytpus infera

For the past couple of months I have been painting specimens from the Eucalyptus Infera. Jason Halford  from the seed bank (which is situated in the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Garden ) has been supplying me with specimens. We are hoping to make a trip next week to see the trees growing in their natural habitat. I am looking forward to meeting the trees I have been painting. 

The Eucalyptus infera is listed as a vulnerable plant species.

 

Collaboration with RANT clothing - 'Grevillea' fabric

I had the wonderful opportunity this year to collaborate with Brisbane fashion designer Sarah Garrett-Hodoniczky of the fashion label RANT clothing. 

Combining the artwork of selected Grevillea specimens at the gardens and digitally printing them on pure cotton, a range of comfortable summer styles have been designed by Sarah at RANT for the new range.

To view the range please go to RANT clothing website - www.rantclothing.com.au

All garments are 100% made in Brisbane.

 

(Photographs taken in the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Garden by Todd Hunter Mcgaw)

 

ink workshop in the botanic garden

Photos of students wonderful work from the Ink workshop in the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Garden last weekend. They created wonderful inky images from botanical specimens.

 

I will be doing another ink workshop on the 6th September ( see 'workshop' page of the website)

 

bird call

Birds I have encountered in the botanical garden......... more sightings to come

The birds are made using recycled materials in the studio.

“I hope you love birds too. It is economical. It saves going to heaven.”  Emily Dickinson

bodhi tree

fluttering leaves

For the month of June I am working in the City Botanic Garden, Brisbane.

I discovered a huge Bodhi tree in the garden. It was blessed by the Dalai Lama on one of his visits to Brisbane. Thank you Lyn ( volunteer guide) for showing me the tree and telling me all about it.

The free garden tours led by the volunteer guides at 11 am and 1 pm each day are informative and well worth attending. A great way to learn about the garden.

art in the garden

'Art  in the garden' workshops start in May.

Classes are held in the pavilion nestled in the Australian Plant Section of the Botanic Garden. It is wonderful to work looking out into nature. For our first class it rained lightly after tea. 

Wendy creating magic with charcoal.

“The workshop is not a class to make art; it is a class to make mistakes, to rework, not to make finished pieces”
— Rick Rotante

1. traces

“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”
— John Muir - John of the Mountains

The new work has begun. 

Place

“A place belongs forever to whoever claims it hardest, remembers it most obsessively, wrenches it from itself, shapes it, renders it, loves it so radically that he remakes it in his own image “
”
— Joan Didion

standing at the edge.

by a pond

“I am following nature without being able to grasp her..I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers”
— Claude Monet

Pru gave me a big bucket of waterlilies. What a treat it has been to paint them. Thank you Pru.

banksia . banksia

“One looks,looks long, and the world comes in”
— Joseph Campbell

back to work! Into the last month of painting in the garden. Painting what I love most.

A week in the Randall Studio

17 October to 23 October  I had a wonderful week in the Richard Randall Studio as part of the residency. I invited others to share the space with me to offer some wonderful classes for the public . Thank you Jane ( homeopath) , Jane (writer) , Matt (poet), Jude ( Qi Gong) and Manish (Mindfullness). The theme was healing and art in nature.

 

eco art workshop

16.09.16 An inspiring workshop with Eco artist Tijn Meulendijks  'Originating actions' :  Eco-art workshop Thank you artisan for organising it.

The black kauri or blue kauri (Agathis atropurpurea) is a species of conifer in the Araucariaceae family. It is found only in Queensland, Australia and is threatened by habitat loss. (pictured on the right above)

early spring

“When the days become longer and there is more sunshine,the grass becomes fresh and,consequently, we feel very happy.”
— Dalai Lama

September. Spring has arrived.......

the last days of winter

the last days of winter .....working with paper........ inspired by nature

 

mangroves at low tide

As part of the botanic garden residency I am able to work in both the city botanic gardens and the Mt Coot-tha botanic gardens. A visit last week to the mangrove swamp situated at the edge of the city botanical  gardens cradling the Brisbane river was fascinating and inspirational. Painting and drawing mangroves at low tide has kept me busy. I look forward to a high tide visit soon.

 

 

dusty landscapes

winter drawing in the garden with pastels . 

grevillea heaven

The Grevilleas are flowering. Painting heaven.....

in the shadow

“The beauty of shadow comes from the beauty of light!”
— Mehmet Murat Ildan