Thursday 31 May 2018

Wednesday 30 May 2018

The Shot Hole Borer Beetle Crisis

We are on the brink of an ecological disaster...



...all because of the Shot Hole Borer beetle. Trees are dying and FABI has indicated that natural control is not in the pipeline at present.

The Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer is a species of Ambrosia Beetle, belonging to the weevil family.

These foreign beetles, identified in 2017 by Dr Trudy Paap of FABI (Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute), are killing trees in towns from Johannesburg to Knysna. Whilst the beetles are mainly affecting urban trees, there is a real possibility that they could reach the veld.

Please read on...


Monday 28 May 2018

Botanical Art Worldwide Activities - Saturday 26th May

It was a busy day at the exhibition again!

Walkabout led by Ann Harris Deppe who runs a botanical art school in Johannesburg

Ann explains some of the finer points of one of the artworks


Janet Hughes preparing for her art demonstration 

Sunday 27 May 2018

Sharing and Learning!

Gill Condy demonstrating at the exhibition yesterday morning:




More student visits too!

Art students from Destiny Academy, Gateway

Studying the brush strokes on Anja Black’s Serruria florida painting







Saturday 26 May 2018

Botanical Art Worldwide Exhibition - Review


This article by Graham Wood can be found on the 'Wanted' online magazine

THE NEW CONTEMPORARY POWER OF TRADITIONAL FLOWER ILLUSTRATIONS

'BOTANICAL ART WORLDWIDE', AN EXHIBITION AT THE EVERARD READ GALLERY, HAMMERS HOME THE POPULARITY AND VITALITY OF THIS SIMULTANEOUSLY NEW AND TRADITIONAL GENRE

Words: Graham Wood
24 May 2018
Adenium boehmianum, Bushamans Poison by Gillian Condy
The opening of Botanical Art Worldwide at the Everard Read Gallery on May 17 must be one of the most packed-to-the-rafters I can remember going to. By all accounts, there has been a steady flow of people through the gallery since that night.
The exhibition’s popularity took me by surprise but maybe it shouldn’t have. There is something undeniably zeitgeisty about botanical art. It represents a crossover between art and science, which has been a prominent theme in recent contemporary art (probably in a way that is much more authentic and historically rooted than quite a few of the more recent, trendy attempts to do so). It also straddles the overlap between art and craft – because what we call botanical art now, was for a long time considered simply botanical illustration, a skill purely in the service of scientific study...

Friday 25 May 2018

Art Students Visit the Botanical Art Worldwide Exhibition

The exhibition has an important educational aspect


Art students from St Mary’s Waverley in Johannesburg

Students from St. Stithians on a guided walk
 

Students studying Sibonelo Chiliza’s graphite drawing of the Scadoxus puniceus


Art students studying the fine detail of the works


View photos of more activities:
Walkabout with Vicki Thomas - Walkabout with Elsa Pooley - Art demos 1 - Art demos 2

Botanical Art Worldwide Day: art demos - afternoon


Pearl de Chalain also teaches colour pencil techniques in Johannesburg

Ann Harris runs a botanical art school in Johannesburg so is happy demonstrating 

Karyn Wiggill, one of our younger artists, a skilled graphite artist and miniaturist


View photos from the morning demos

View the first walkabout with Vicki Thomas

View the second walkabout with Elsa Pooley




Botanical Art Worldwide Day - second walkabout

The second walkabout led by Elsa Pooley for Botanical Art Worldwide Day last Friday


Elsa captivating her audience

Elsa speaking with Gail de Smidt

Jenny Hyde-Johnson speaks to the audience

Moving through the gallery - there's still plenty more to see!

View photos from the first walkabout with Vicki Thomas


View the morning art demos

View the afternoon art demos

Botanical Art Worldwide Day: art demos - morning


Sandie Burrows working on one of her Drift Seed drawings. Sandie works in colour pencil

Janet Snyman demonstrating her beautiful watercolour skills

Johannesburg artist Julie AhFa also working in watercolour


Young Zimbabwean artist Liberty Shuro drew a lot attention with his graphite work

Botanical Art Worldwide Day Activities - first walkabout

The first walkabout led by Vicki Thomas for Botanical Art Worldwide Day last Friday


Vicki Thomas leading the first walkabout of the exhibition
Vicki drew a large crowd of artists and members of the public

Vicki discussed a number of the artworks during the walkabout to a fascinated audience

Helen Meyer ready for card sales!


View the second walkabout with Elsa Pooley

View the photos from the morning art demos

View the photos from the afternoon art demos




Wild Harvest Exhibition at the Irma Stern Museum

Opening Saturday 2nd June at 11am - until 30th June

Visit the Irma Stern Museum website for programme of events:
click here



Thursday 17 May 2018

Botanical Art Worldwide Exhibition - today's the day!


Opening at 18:00 at the Everard Read Gallery in Johannesburg...

Sponsor board ready in lower gallery where we will have the opening

Greeting cards all set out ready for bumper sales!


We have been given some wonderful prizes of artist materials ready
for our People’s Choice best painting winners.

Join us this evening!





Tuesday 15 May 2018

Botanical Art Worldwide Exhibition - opens this Thursday!

Today we set up part of the Burrows’ wonderful seed collection.





Ingrid still busy with the labels which needed to be replaced due to the rough walls. A steady flow of visitors through the Everard Read Gallery, before the official opening on Thursday at 18:00.


Don't forget we have a packed programme of guided exhibition walkabouts, art demos and evening lectures. Click here for details...and remember you'll need to reserve your place!


Monday 14 May 2018

Botanical Art Worldwide - Opening Thursday!





All the paintings have been beautifully hung and labelled

Just the finishing touches need to happen in the next few days. 












Already visitors have been streaming through the gallery showing huge interest and there are a number of red dots on the wall. 



Looking forward to having our exhibiting artists
for the opening night.






The exhibition opens at the Everard Read Gallery in Johannesburg
this Thursday at 18:00 and runs until 9th June.

The gallery is open weekdays 09:00 to 17:00 and 09:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays.

For our full programme of events over the course of the exhibition click here.







Friday 11 May 2018

Botanical Art Worldwide Exhibition - Preparations Complete!

Staff and volunteers were busy hanging the Botanical Art Worldwide exhibition yesterday. 
Everything is hung – we have an exhibition. It is looking wonderful. Great placement by Mark. So exciting!





Make sure you visit the Everard Read Gallery between 18 May – 9 June. It's a very special show!

Tuesday 8 May 2018

Preparing for the Botanical Art Worldwide Exhibition 2018

The opening at 18:00 on Thursday 17 May is drawing near and preparations are underway:


Unpacking the work...



Many hands make light work:
helpers removing Margaret de Villiers's work from its box


* * *


Read the interview with Gill Condy in the latest online edition of 

Aechimea mertensii by Gillian Condy





Saturday 5 May 2018

Botanical Art Worldwide Activities 18 May - 09 June 2018


Our Programme for Worldwide Day, Friday 18th May

10.00                            Walkabout               Vicki Thomas (Betty’s Bay)
14.00                            Walkabout               Elsa Pooley (Scottburgh, KZN)

Art demonstrations

10.30 – 12.30                 Sandie Burrows        Coloured pencil (Lydenburg)
10.30 – 12.30                 Julie Ah-Fa              Watercolour (Johannesburg)
10.30 – 12.30                 Liberty Shuro           Graphite (Gweru, Zimbabwe)
15 00 – 17.00                 Pearl de Chalain       Colour pencil (Johannesburg)
15.00 – 17.00                 Ann Harris               Watercolour (Johannesburg)
15.00 – 17.00                 Karyn Wiggill           Graphite/or miniatures (Johannesburg)

Programme for Saturday 19th May

10.00                            Walkabout               Jenni Hyde-Johnston (Gauteng)

Art demonstrations
10.30 – 12.30                 Gail de Smidt          Watercolour (Gauteng)
10.30 – 12.30                 Lynda de Wet          Watercolour (Betty’s Bay)
10.30 – 12.30                 Sibonelo Chiliza      Graphite (Hibberdene, KZN)


Additional Walkabouts
Saturday 26th May          10.00                      Ann Harris (Johannesburg)
Saturday 2nd June          10.00                      Willie Schlechter (Cape Town)
Saturday 9th June          10.00                      Gillian Condy (Pretoria)

Additional Art demonstrations
Saturday 26th May         10.30                       Janet Hughes (Irene), Gillian Condy (Pretoria)
Saturday 2nd June         10.30                       Sandy Labuschagne (Johannesburg)
Saturday 9th June         10.30                       Bridget Dunseith (Johannesburg)

Evening lectures
Thursday 24th May        6.30 for 7.00           Prof Bob Scholes
                                                                 “The adventurous life of three collectors:
                                                                  Sparman, Zeyher & Thode”

Thursday 31st May        6.30 for 7.00           Dr Reinier Terblanche
                                                                “Butterflies and their sense of place in
                                                                 South Africa”

Thursday 7th June        6.30 for 7.00          John and Sandie Burrows
                                                                "The art and botany of drift seed”

Booking is essential. Please give 1st, 2nd, 3rd choice as space is limited.