Botanical art meets plant science

THE art of science will be explored by the Geelong School of Botanic Art in its biennial exhibition.
Inspired by Nature 4 by the Friends of the Botanic Gardens will be on show throughout October at Geelong’s Wintergarden.
About 25 artists and tutors come together to exhibit work completed over the past two years.
Organiser Helena Buxton said the Botanic Art School was one of the Friends’ most important activities.
“It’s a wonderful program that offers people an opportunity to explore and learn about the world of plants, a place where art meets science,” Ms Buxton said.
“As in past exhibitions the style and subject range of Inspired by Nature 4 will be incredibly diverse and presented in a variety of formats.
“Most of us do not realise it often takes two or three seasons for an artist to finish an individual work.
“The world of plants and flowers is transient – once a specimen is selected it must be analysed and sketched then translated onto paper for completion.
“In between collection and recording the original flower may have wilted, its life cycle finished.
“The artists will often wait a full year before they can again work directly from a freshly picked specimen.”
The fourth exhibition in the Inspired by Nature series will again be curated by Jill Shalless from art@wintergarden.
“Much of the plant material featured has been sourced from the Geelong Botanic Gardens; works will represent artists at many levels from highly skilled to beginner,” Ms Buxton said.
An exhibition of delicate ceramics created by Anglesea artist Melinda Solly will also be on show.
The exhibition will be launched at Wintergarden on 2 October at 5pm.