Tag: Botanic Gardens

Off to the Art of Botanical Illustration Exhibition — a walk through Melbourne

Post author By anne54
Post date November 14, 2014
10 Comments on Off to the Art of Botanical Illustration Exhibition — a walk through Melbourne

Two years ago, when I was new to the blogging world, I published this post about going to the Art of Botanical Illustration Exhibition. I am going to republish it, because I like it! Also, last week I went along much the same trail, as I visited the 2014 Exhibition, so I have added in some extra photos.

I am going to tell you about the exhibition in my next post. However, for now, have wander through Melbourne.

Yesterday I did my volunteer stint at the Art of Botanical Illustration Exhibition. It is a fabulous exhibition, with many beautiful paintings. If you are in Melbourne, follow my trail to Domain House to see these stunning works. If you can’t make it, enjoy the walk through Melbourne.

I got off the 57 tram and had coffee in Block Place, walked through the beautiful Block Arcade, over the mosaic floors,

and down Melbourne’s lanes that are thronging with people drinking their lattes and eating lunch.

The walk takes us past Flinders Street Station

and Federation Square, to cross the Yarra

go past the National Gallery of Victoria and further up, ‘Weary’ Dunlop‘s lovely statue.

We keep walking up St Kilda Road, under the trees with their spring growth to reach the outside of the Botanical Gardens. The Tan track circuits the Gardens and we have to dodge the runners and walkers, their dogs and prams to reach the Shrine.

Only a little further now. Past the Observatory, turn right at the Herbarium,

past Latrobe’s Cottage, with its spring flowers

to Domain House. And we are here. Enjoy the exhibition!

Tags art of botanical illustration, Australia, Australian artists, Block Arcade, Botanic Gardens, exhibition, Melbourne, melbourne observatory, Melbourne's lanes, national gallery of victoria, the Yarra River, walk, weary dunlop

Plants Texture

More bunya bunya pines

You seemed to be interested in the story of the bunya bunya pines that I posted last week. Today, when I went into my art session, which is held in the Botanic Gardens, I saw this display of the cones.

They have been brought into the room for artists to paint. We are not allowed to bring non-Bot. Garden material, for fear of spreading the myrtle rust disease into the gardens. So, the gardens provide material for classes to use.

I was able to get some close ups of the nuts. I didn’t realise that they were so big. No wonder Aborigines feasted on them.

The nut is on the right. On the left you can see how the nut nestles into its casing. (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson, 2014)

There seems to be another shell around the actual nut, a bit like an almond. (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson, 2014)

These other photos are just general shots. You can see how the casings fit so neatly together around the central core of the cone. Wonderful patterns!

Tags Botanic Gardens, Bunya bunya pines, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, Seeds

Travels

Canberra

Post author By anne54
Post date August 7, 2013
13 Comments on Canberra

Looking, from the top of Parliament House, down to the Old Parliament House, across the lake, to the War Memorial. (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson 2009)

I travelled up to Canberra recently, to see the Turner exhibition. More of that in a later post.

For those of you out of Australia, you may not know that Canberra is our capital city. Our federal government is here, along with many public offices and building like the High Court. Unlike most cities, it is deliberately planned. The Australian states federated in 1901. There was debate about whether the capital should be Melbourne or Sydney, with a third option to build a city half way between the two. (Actually it is not half way — Melbourne is 660 kms and Sydney is only 280 kms. The rivalry continues!) So we have Canberra.

Following an international contest for the city’s design, a blueprint by the Chicago architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin was selected and construction commenced in 1913.^[4] The Griffins’ plan featured geometric motifs such as circles, hexagons and triangles, and was centred around axes aligned with significant topographical landmarks in the Australian Capital Territory. (From Wikipedia)

For those of you in Australia, no, I didn’t hear any knives being sharpened or deals being done! But I am sure that some of that was going on.

It is a good city to be a tourist in. Its design is lovely. Lake Burley Griffin in a feature that can be seen from many places. Mt Ainslie and Black Mountain are nature parks, with native animals and many other spaces are beautifully treed. Design continues to be a feature. Many of the new buildings, such as the National Museum, are are interesting.

And there is lots to see. Here is my list of the things we visited

The National Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery, including a gallery of Paul Kelly and an exhibition of Hilda Rix Nicholas. (You would have loved the Paul Kelly Metan!) Click on the link to the Gallery to see some of their wonderful portraits.
The National Museum
Old Parliament House, and the very interactive Museum of Australian Democracy, as well as, amazingly, a retrospective of Arthur Boyd‘s work
The Botanic Gardens, where I found another species of Cullen! I was very excited!
Black Mountain
The War Memorial
a brief visit to the Arboretum
and a walk along the lake

It also included getting lost a few times, because, what is a visit to Canberra without being confused on the roads. Thank heavens for roundabouts!

Parliament House. Which party will be in government there after September 7th? (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson 2009)

Lake Burley Griffen (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson 2009)

Tags Botanic Gardens, Canberra, National Gallery, National Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Old Parliament House, Turner exhibition, War Memorial

Melbourne

Off to the Art of Botanical Illustration Exhibition — a walk through Melbourne

Post author By anne54
Post date November 15, 2012
9 Comments on Off to the Art of Botanical Illustration Exhibition — a walk through Melbourne

Two years ago, when I was new to the blogging world, I published this post about going to the Art of Botanical Illustration Exhibition. I am going to republish it, because I like it! Also, I have just been along much the same trail today, as I visited the 2014 Exhibition. I am going to tell you about the exhibition in my next post. However, for now, have wander through Melbourne.

I got off the 57 tram and had coffee in Block Place, walked through the beautiful Block Arcade, over the mosaic floors,

and down Melbourne’s lanes that are thronging with people drinking their lattes and eating lunch.