It’s a while since I wrote anything about the Beckler’s Botanical Bounty Project that I am involved with.
Very briefly…..I am part of a group of botanic artists who, since 2010 have gone annually to Menindee, a small town in outback new South Wales. We are collecting and then painting the specimens collected by Hermann Beckler, the doctor on the Burke and Wills Expedition, in 1860. Our website will give you a good overview while you can read more about my personal experiences on these posts.
As well as collecting and painting all 120 plants on his list, we have always had the dream of having an exhibition of the Project. Last year (or was it 2016?) we were accepted by the Art Gallery of Ballarat!
Since then we, with a big input from the fabulous staff at the Gallery, have been busy with the tasks needed to get the Exhibition up.
- 40 paintings have been selected, scanned, mounted and framed
- 4 cabinets with objects showing our themes of Art, Science, History and Country have been organised
- Essays have been written for the catalogue, along with artist bios and statements about their plants
- A slide show and narration (including bird song from the area!) has been produced. It will show in the smaller room off the main room.
- Our Opening has been organised
- Publicity is well underway
Now, we are about 5 weeks away from the Opening!!!!
So, if you are in Victoria (Ballarat is only an hour’s train ride from Melbourne 😉 ) organise some friends to come to see the Exhibition.  And if you can’t make it tell a friend who lives a little closer. The cafe in the Gallery is very good too!
Beckler’s Botanical Bounty: the Flora of Menindee
25th February to 27th May 2018
Art Gallery of Ballarat
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Anne Lawson Art 