On show at NERAM is the popular exhibition Capturing Flora, the most comprehensive exhibition of Australian botanical art ever held in Australia. This blockbuster exhibition, toured by the Art Gallery of Ballarat exclusively to NERAM will run until 2 February 2014.
And there is a little secret in this special show. For the first time in over 100 years, the work of Caroline Edith Tindal is on display. Caroline Tindal was born in England but moved to Grafton upon marriage and privately practised botanical art on and around the property of Ramornie. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries she produced hundreds of exquisite paintings of Australia’s flowers, plants and small insects.
Sadly, Caroline’s work remained hidden from public view until long after her death. However, excitingly, in 2013, a collection of more than 300 of her paintings in her own monogrammed satchel was discovered by her family. In this exhibition we are fortunate to see some of her extraordinarily accurate watercolours shown for the first time.
And there are more local connections – Armidale resident David Mackay is one of Australia’s leading botanical illustrators and his works are included in this exhibition, as well as a watercolour by Ellis Rowan from our own Hinton Collection.
The exhibition, Capturing Flora: A Passion for the exotick is a historical journey of how Australia’s amazing and diverse flora have been recorded, interpreted and popularized by botanical artists from William Dampier and the early explorers to the present day. The 350 original drawings and prints range from colourful works which celebrate Australia’s vibrant and flamboyant wildflowers to black and white drawings which are incredibly detailed and meticulously observed.
This is a show that will appeal to anyone who has ever looked at a flower. Entry – Adults $10, Pensioners and NERAM Members $5 Students/Children Free.
