Botanical Art Worldwide 2018
‘Ngãi Tipu Taketake - Indigenous Flora’
New Zealand was one of 25 countries around the world collaborating in a global exhibition organised by the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA).
This worldwide event brought together artists, institutions and the public to highlight the role contemporary botanical artists play in bringing attention to the need of safe-guarding our botanical diversity.
New Zealand’s participation was organised by BASNZ and sponsored by The Friends of Auckland Botanic Gardens, and took many, many long hours by the steering committee comprising of members Lesley Alexander and Sandra Morris along with Liz Powell who represented the Friends of the Auckland Botanic Garden.
A jury panel consisting of Ross Ferguson FRSNZ and Botanical artist, Sri Benham along with the garden’s curator, Rebecca Stanley, chose a range of New Zealand’s native flora depicted in various media, by New Zealand’s best botanical artists.
The exhibition opened March 30, 2018 and ran till July 1st at Auckland Botanic Garden before traveling to Wellington Botanic Gardens (August 1 - September 9), then to at Millennium Gallery, Blenheim (November 3 - December 9) before heading back to Auckland.
A Private View was held on April 7th for artists, invited guests friends and family. BASNZ President, Jaquie Carran gave a speech on behalf of the society, Friends of the Auckland Botanic Gardens, Diane Glenn spoke on behalf of the Friends, botanical artist Sue Wickison spoke on behalf of the artists and Micheline Newton spoke for the Botanic Gardens. During the evening, Paul Sinnett, Education Sales Manager for Gordon Harris awarded Nicola West with the prize for Best Student Work.
More information can be seen at https://www.botanicalartworldwide.info/
The Selected Artworks
Fifty-nine artworks were selected, depicting 40 native species by 44 artists.
Forty of these artworks were chosen to became the travelling component of the exhibition as well as part of the international slideshow alongside entries from the other participating countries - a total of 1000 artworks!
See all New Zealand artworks below -
Ann Cryer - Corynocarpus laevigatus - Watercolour
Ann Cryer - Knightia excelsa - watercolour
Annette Judd - Cordyline australis - Graphite and Colour pencil
Bryan Poole - Phormium tenax - Harakeke, Flax - Egg tempera on vellum panel
Carole Cornes - Pseudopanax laetum - watercolour
Denise Ramsay - Fuchsia excorticata - 'The-Tree' - Watercolour
Denise Ramsay - Fuchsia procumbens - 'The-Creeper' - Watercolour
Diana Tormey - Phormium Colensii - Harakeke, Flax - Watercolour
Emma Scheltema - Piper excelsum - Kawakawa - Watercolour
Erin Forsyth - Various Myrtaceae sp. - Acrylic on board
Gail Timmerman-Vaughan - Haematomma alpinum - Watercolour
Gillian Receveur - Pachystegia insignis - Marlborough Rock Daisy - Colour pencil
Gillian Receveur - Vitex lucens - Puriri - Colour pencil
Hamish Foote - Beilschmiedia tarairi - Watercolour
Helen Gunter - Pohutukawa - Metrosideros excelsa - Watercolour
Helen Nutt - Clematis paniculata - Puawananga, NZ White Clematis - Watercolour
Jan Barker - Hibiscus richardsonii - Watercolour
Jane Humble - Passiflora tetrandra - Watercolour
Janet Marshall - Sophora Tetraptera - Kowhai, Ink and wash
Jane Zimmermann - Sophora Microphylla - Graphite
Jeana Trent Xeronoma callistemon - Poor Knights Lily - Colour pencil
Jennifer Duval-Smith - 'Seven-Sisters' - Knightia excelsa - Watercolour
Jenny Haslimeier - Knightia excelsa, with looper caterpillar - Colour pencil
Jenny Haslimeier - Metrosideros excelsa - Seedpods - Graphite
Jill McIntosh - Discaria toumatou - Graphite
Jo Ewing - NZ Poroporo, Solanum laciniatum - Watercolour
Jo Ewing - Phormium tenax, Flax - Watercolour
Karen Atherton - Dodonaea viscosa - Colourpencil
Khol Tyler-Dunshea - Rhabdothamnus solandri - Watercolour
K M Reilly - Asplenium bulbiferum - Mouku, Hen & Chicken Fern - Intaglio etching on zinc
Lesley Alexander - Kauri, Agathis australis - Watercolour on vellum
Liz Powell - Dianella nigra - Watercolour
Maragaret Blue - Corokia cotoneaster - Watercolour
Margaret Blue - Discaria toumatou - Watercolour
Maria Mercedes TrujilloA - Stilbocarpapolaris - Leaf, Back and Front Detail - Watercolour
Neal Palmer - Harakeke - Phormium tenax - Seed Pods - Acrylic on panel
Paula Cable - Sonchus Kirkii - NZ Sow Thistle - Watercolour
Rebecca Brown-Thompson - Brachyglottis rotundifolia - Watercolour and Colour pencil
Sandra Morris - 'Alpine Plants, Tongariro Region' - Watercolour and Graphite
Student entry - Nicola West - Hebe speciosa - 'Blue - An Informal Hedge' - Student award winner
Student entry - Nicola West - Piper excelsum - 'Rongoa, Healing Herb'
Student entry - Ruby Oliver - Piper excelsum - Watercolour
Student entry - Ruby Oliver - Rhabothamnus - Watercolour
Student entry - Sofya Salini - Myosotidium hortensia
Student entry - Sofya Salini - 'Kowhai'
Sue Wickison - Clianthus puniceus - Pen and ink
Sue Wickison - Dactylanthus taylorii - 'Wood Rose and Short Tailed Bat' - Mystacina tuberculata - Watercolour and graphite - People's Choice winner - Auckland
Suzy Abbott - Phormium tenax - 'Korari-III' - Watercolour
Suzy Abbott - Phormium tenax - 'Korari-II' - Watercolour
Teresa Hall - Meryta sinclairii - '4xPuka' - Seriagraph print
Valerie Cuthbert - Celmisia coriacea - Etched print
Valerie Cuthbert - Ranunculus lyalii - Drypoint print
Vicki Catlow - Rimu-Dacrydium cupressinum - Watercolour
Wilma Blom - Agathis australis - Kauri branchlets - Watercolour and Colour pencil
Wilma Blom - Pteris tremula - Shaking Brake Frond - Colour pencil
Wilma Blom - Pteris tremula - Shaking Brake, juvenile - Graphite
‘World Day of Botanical Art’, May 18th…..
The day began with a pōwhiri, a traditional Māori welcoming ceremony.
It was led by Kaumātua, Ted Ngataka, on behalf of Ngāti Tamaoho, the local iwi or tribe, followed by a walk round the Huakaiwaka visitor centre gallery while a blessing of the plants, artwork and artists was sung and spoken.
Although traditionally this takes place at dawn, we needed to allow time for people to arrive and get through the rush hour traffic.
….that weekend saw many visitors….
Visitors from many parts of New Zealand came to meet the artists and enjoy the artist demonstrations.
A talk by Dr. Robert Franiche and curator, Rebecca Stanley on Dactylanthus taylorii and the Short Tailed Bat and the 50+ artwords on show were enjoyed by many people throughout the weekend.
Dactylanthus taylorii - 'Wood Rose and Short Tailed Bat' - Mystacina tuberculata
Watercolour and graphite
People's Choice winner - Auckland
Sue Wickison
Hanging work at the Wellington Botanic Gardens Tree House Gallery
Treetop Gallery, Wellington
Ross Ferguson FRSNZ - Juror
Some of the artists enjoying the Private Viewing evening
Paul Sinnett, Education Sales Manager for Gordon Harris reading out the judges comments on the 3 student's works
The pōwhiri - welcoming ceremony
Sri Benham, juror
Sandra Morris discussing nature journaling and signing her books to interested onlookers
Artist Jane Zimmerman demonstrating drawing Gingko leaves with graphite
The artworks on their way from Auckland to Wellington, the second leg of their tour
Auckland Botanic Gardens who hosted the exhibition
Artist demonstrations…..
FRIDAY DEMONSTRATIONS:
10am - 11.30am Printmaking with Val Cuthbert and Watercolour with Helen Gunter
11.30am - 1pm Colour Pencil with Gillian Receveur and Graphite with Wilma Blom
1pm - 2.30pm Watercolour with Ann Cryer and Colour Mixing with Maria Mercedes Trujillo A.
2.30pm - 4pm Nature Journaling with Sandra Morris and Graphite with Heike-Jane Zimmermann
SATURDAY DEMONSTRATIONS:
10am - 11.30am Watercolour with Helen Gunter and Pen and Ink with Lesley Alexander
11.30 - 1pm Watercolour on Vellum with Lesley Alexander and Watercolour with Emma Scheltema
1pm - 2.30pm Graphite with Wilma Blom and Watercolour with Jennifer Duval-Smith
Lastly, listen here…….
to an interview on Radio NZ’s arts programme,‘Standing Room Only’ where host, Lynn Freeman chats to artists Lesley Alexander, Sandra Morris and Sue Wickison about their involvement in ‘Ngãi Tipu Taketake - Indigenous Flora’
June 25th, 2017
and here…….
to the post exhibiton catch up with Lynn Freeman
April 1st, 2018
A HUGE thank you to:
Friends of Auckland Botanic Gardens
Auckland Botanic Gardens
Cafe Miko - catering for Private View
Gordon Harris
Wellington Botanic Gardens
Millenium Gallery, Blenheim
Pack and Send Pakuranga, Auckland
John Leech Framing, Mount Eden, Auckland
Soar Print, Mount Eden, Auckland
