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A warm welcome to all new members December visitors to this site 2,848 We have added many new countries. Don’t forget to send us your exhibition dates. The news contains awards, prizes and exhibitions so have a good read. ----------------------------------------------------------------

Friends of The Gardens Botanica 2010 Treasuring Plants Treasuring Our Planet exhibition commences Friday 16th April to Sunday 25th April More information ----------------------------------------------------------------

The Margaret Flockton Award 2010 The exhibition will be open for public viewing Friday April 9 – Friday July 9 This year we have had entries from all over the globe (AUS, NZ, UK, MEX, BRA, USA, POL, SPA) and the artworks are of a very high standard. Judging has been completed and the winning and highly commended works will be publicly announced on opening night. 1st prize - $5000 2nd prize - $2000 More information ----------------------------------------------------------------

The 10th Art of Botanical Illustration Exhibition will be held in November 2010 Artists interested in exhibiting can download information from the Botanic Art and Classes page on the Friends' Website More information ----------------------------------------------------------------

FON X offered $20,000.00 (USD) in Purchase Awards and a full color catalog. International exhibition of natural history illustration at the New York State Museum, Albany, New York. This is a juried, biennial exhibit entitled Focus on Nature (FON). The next FON (XI) one will open April 12, 2010 and includes artists from 15 countries. The deadline for entries to FON is always October 1 of the year preceding the opening. Therefore, FON XII will be in 2012 with a deadline of October 1, 2011. More information ----------------------------------------------------------------

Tropical island of Sri Lanka UK tutor and botanical illustrator Billy Showell will be hosting two courses on the tropical island of Sri Lanka. On the 4th-10th and 11th-17th April 2010 Spend 6 nights in the tranquil setting of Moonhill, a luxurious beach villa on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, drawing and painting orchids & tropical flowers Sri Lanka is orchid heaven! More than 188 orchid species grow here, with a stunning 55 that are unique to the island and provide the source of inspiration for this course. Under Billy’s encouraging step-by-step guidance you will find yourself drawing and painting these exquisite flowering plants with increasing confidence and skill. All-ability levels and beginners are welcome on the 4-day painting course, with the small group size (maximum no. 8) guaranteeing you individual tuition and guidance. More information ----------------------------------------------------------------

2009 Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize   The Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize 2009 has now closed at the South Australian Museum. Matilda Michell from Sydney has won the overall prize of $50,000 in the 2009 Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize. Matilda's painting Fish was selected by judges as the best natural history artwork among the 101 finalists on display. Bask by South Australian artist Janine Mackintosh has been named the People’s Choice in the Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize for 2009.   The prize winning and highly commended artworks will be shown at the National Archives of Australia in Canberra from 24 September until 15 November 2009. Entries in the 2010 Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize will open in early 2010. More information ----------------------------------------------------------------

Botanicals - Environmental Expressions in Art The Alisa and Isaac M. Sutton Collection 23 October 2009–30 June 2010 These artworks are expressions of the purely aesthetic forms found in nature and a reminder that we are stewards of our natural resources for future generations. The exhibition includes 54 artworks by 40 artists from Australia, Belgium, Cuba, England, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, Scotland, South Africa and the United States. Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation 5th Floor, Hunt Library Carnegie Mellon University 4909 Frew Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 USA Email us  or  More information ----------------------------------------------------------------

Women of Flowers Botanical Art in Australia from the 1830s to the 1960 The National Library of Australia has just published a spectacular book, Women of Flowers: Botanical Art in Australia from the 1830s to the 1960, by well respected botanical artist and international tutor, Leonie Norton. This book pays tribute to a range of brilliant women botanical artists from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Ten colonial women artists are featured in this beautiful book, with a rare insight into their lives and show casing their exquisite botanical paintings. While many of the women delighted in painting largely as a diversion from the dull routine of everyday colonial life, some were more adventurous, travelling great distances to find new and unusual specimens. With fascinating stories of these interesting women, almost 100 illustrations and fine quality printing and reproduction, Leonie Norton’s book should be treasured as a both a reference work and a joy to devour.   The works were sourced primarily from the National Library of Australia's Pictures Collections. It is a social history of these women and their contribution to botanical art, and a celebration of their achievements. No book of this type has been published in Australia and it will be a valuable addition to any library, public or private. The book is available at the National Library of Australia’s book store, and can be ordered by phone or internet. More information or to purchase this book A talk and book signing is scheduled at the National Library in Canberra on 11th October 2009 at 2pm, and also at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney on 12th December 2009, from 10.30am. ----------------------------------------------------------------

Drawings of Tertiary Leaf Fossils Exhibition by palaeobotanical artist - Stephen Caine Based around Tertiary period fossil leaves collected in Spitsbergen by the noted Scottish polar explorer William Spiers Bruce (1867-1921). The drawings are presented in a 19th century style. Some of the fossils collected by Bruce are displayed alongside the drawings, by kind permission of the National Museums of Scotland, who now hold this fossil collection. Tues 5 May — Fri 26 June 2009 Time:10.00 am — 4.30 pm Location:Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - Library Foyer Monday-Friday only (closed Monday 4 and Monday 25 May). more information ----------------------------------------------------------------

Wings of Paradise - Watercolors of Silkmoths by John Cody 26 March to 30 June 2009 The Hunt Institute will exhibit 47 watercolors of silkmoths by John Cody. Cody is passionate about portraying the magnificent beauty of silkmoths and their associated plants with both artistry and accuracy. With these widely appealing watercolors, he hopes to increase awareness of their dwindling numbers and the need to conserve their natural habitats.  Although the majority of silkmoths, which are members of the family Saturniidae, are found in the tropics, some species are found in North America and Europe. The exhibition will be on display on the 5th floor of the Hunt Library building at Carnegie Mellon University. Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m. Sunday, 1–4 p.m. (except 10, 12 April and 3, 24, 25 May). We also will open Sunday, 17 May, 1–4 p.m., during Carnegie Mellon’s commencement. The exhibition is open to the public free of charge. For further information, contact the Hunt Institute at 412-268-2434. more information ----------------------------------------------------------------

Margaret Flockton Award - 2009 Winners The winners of the 2009 Award were announced at the opening of the Margaret Flockton Award Exhibition on 9 April in the Red Box Gallery at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney. The works were judged on botanical accuracy, technical and artistic merit and reproducibility. more information First Prize of $5000 - Sandra Burrows a freelance botanical illustrator and field botanist from South Africa, for her pen and ink illustration of Asparagus elephantinus. This is the first time Sandra has entered the award. Congratulations! Second prize of $2000 - Klei Rodrigo Sousa, a freelance botanical illustrator from Brazil, for his pen and ink rendering of Orthophytum heleniceae. ----------------------------------------------------------------

Botanica 2009 - from the desert to the sea Friday 17 to Sunday 26 April Exhibition reflects the diverse growing conditions found in Australia, and highlights the current focus on plants for a dry climate seen in today's garden and home decorating fashions. Lion gate Lodge Royal Botanic Gardens Mrs. Macquaries Road Sydney more information ----------------------------------------------------------------

The Highgrove Florilegium. Three paintings by Susan Worthington a New Zealand Botanical Artist have been selected for inclusion in The Highgrove Florilegium. This is pesently being created under the umbrella of The Prince's charities Foundation and will celebrate and record in a permanent way Flora in the garden at Highgrove. Her work is also part of the Down Under Exhibition showing the Doctor Shirley Shirwood gallary at Kew Garden. ----------------------------------------------------------------

Dictionary of gardening - The Royal Horticultural Society A practical and scientific encyclopaedia of horticulture. originally edited by Fred J. Chittenden 2nd edition completely revised and reset assisted by specialists edited by Patrick M. Synge 4 volumes - green cloth bound covers Clarendon Press: 1956  2nd edition 2316 pages many black and white line drawings. A real collectors item and for sale at the right price. contact us  ----------------------------------------------------------------

Looking for information on - William Thompson RENTON   Approximately 1200 water colour paintings all on paper (card) that has been hand cut to 10” x 5 “ with trimmed corners.   All images are numbered, initialled W.T.R. and dated 1920 to 1930. The artist is William Thompson RENTON   Each picture has a botanical description below the image and on the back is lengthy hand written text describing the plant and its location plus various other information. Many references are from plants found in the suburbs of Melbourne and other countries. There are so many images I am wondering if he did them as part of a collection, preparation for a book, field notes for a project or a personal hobby.   Any information would be helpful - He may of lived in Williamstown Victoria. contact us  ----------------------------------------------------------------

Australian Biological Resources Study The Aim of ABRS is to provide, through strategic partnerships, the underlying taxonomic knowledge necessary for the conservation and sustainable use of Australia’s biodiversity. Some of the renewed grant projects for 2008/2009 are listed below. Fungi Project Title: A taxonomic revision of lactarioid truffle-like fungi and their allies in the Russulaceae Institution: Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne Lichens Project Title: The lichen family Trypetheliaceae, a treatment for the Flora of Australia (lichens volume 5) Institution: Adviesbureau voor Bryologie en Lichenologie Fauna Project Title: A taxonomic revision of Australia’s mangrove and intertidal crab fauna with production of interactive keys, and a field guide Institution: Queensland Museum ----------------------------------------------------------------