Projects
Eucalyptus Project
In 2023, after attending a Eucalyptus identification workshop conducted by Native Plants Queensland (NPQ) Gold Coast Branch, I became very interested in painting more Eucalypts. The workshop focused on species which are commonly seen on the Gold Coast and its environs, although many of them also occur in other parts of Eastern Australia.
The workshop was designed to help people to identify particular species, either those on their own land or ones they saw in the bush. As the experts often tell us, Eucalypts are notoriously difficult to identify correctly. It was recommended that we should closely observe the fruit, along with the bark and leaves (both juvenile and mature). Modern scientific methods generally aren’t available to most of us, so close observation of real specimens is the only real option we have.
From this workshop I recalled something important I learnt from drawing 80 plants for the Robertson Rainforest Field Guide, which is that drawing a plant from close observation greatly assists one’s capacity to remember it.
This realisation led me on to a project with two parts: firstly I decided to paint as many of the ‘commonly seen’ Gold Coast Eucalypts as I could, starting with a set of 12 paintings. I have completed nine of the first twelve Eucalyptus paintings so far, all of which were exhibited in 2024 at Robina Art Gallery (see Gallery and Exhibitions list). These trees all grow in the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens giving me ample opportunities to observe the living specimens. One of these trees, the Eucalyptus pilularis is a ‘Heritage’ tree which was growing there before European settlement. It is a magnificent specimen and a real treasure for the Gardens.
Secondly, I agreed to teach drawing workshops for NPQ members (see following details).
Native Plants Queensland Gold Coast Branch (NPQ)
In 2024 for the first time, I also conducted two half-day drawing workshops for NPQ members. They followed on from the Eucalyptus identification workshops held earlier in the year. The emphasis was on drawing to enhance memory and assist in plant identification.
In 2025 NPQ requested more workshops, this time of longer duration, for members to learn more skills and build their confidence in botanical drawing. From a tutor’s perspective, teaching botanical drawing to plant experts is very rewarding, because they already understand the importance of observation and practice it regularly in their work with plants.
Teaching
Friends Botanical Art Group (FBAG)
In 2022 I started the Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens Friends Botanical Art Group, after discovering that no botanical art activities were to be found close to me on the Gold Coast, as either tutored or non-tutored groups.
With the help and support of a colleague and the Friends, we began a small group in 2022, meeting within the Gardens itself. The group members started with little or no experience of botanical art but they had plenty of plant knowledge and heaps of enthusiasm. This group has been a joy to teach and have made enormous progress through their dedication and hard work, having now had two successful exhibitions in 2023 and 2024. We look forward to many more successful years.
Illustrating Threatened Species and Plants of Significance
I have been asked several times by plant experts and field naturalists to create illustrations of rare or unusual plants. It’s a task I enjoy enormously and always make the time to provide an illustration. Here are some examples.
