Botaniko, Esperanto for botanical, comprises 18 botanical artists living in and around Hobart, Tasmania. Most of its members have been, at one time or another, students of one of Australia’s leading botanical artists, Lauren Black. Botaniko was formed in 2014.
The aim of the group is to foster the enjoyment of botanical art mainly through the medium of graphite drawing, colour pencils and/or watercolour; to pursue projects of botanical significance within Tasmania, culminating in an exhibition; and to continue developing skills through workshops with external artists. The members meet on a weekly basis from February to early December, working on a variety of individual and/or joint projects.
Since its inception members of the group have participated in a number of projects:
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- 2014: Port Arthur Historic site: An Exotic Garden – Port Arthur: Unlocking the botanical journey, depicting plants transported to the Port Arthur penal settlement, along with convicts, a commandant, officers and soldiers.
- 2015: Narryna Heritage Museum, Battery Point: Reverend Robert Knopwood’s kitchen garden, illustrated plants grown between 1804-1824, in the garden located on the land now occupied by Narryna.
- 2016: Port Arthur Historic Site.A return to the Port Arthur by invitation, to continue the journey: Port Arthur – An Exotic Garden: Unlocking the Botanical Journey Part 2. This exhibition outlined the plants of medicinal, culinary, and industrial significance used by the early settlers of the site in 1800’s.
- 2017: Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, Hobart: Celebrating 200 years through Botanical Illustration. Botaniko members worked on this project in association with the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, to commemorate the Garden’s bicentenary in 2018.
- 2018: Narryna Heritage Museum, Battery Point: Frederick Mackie – Quaker Plantsman. This project focussed on the plants recorded in Frederick Mackie’s Journal, A Traveller under Concern, written during his visit to Tasmania from 1852-1855 including his time spent at Narryna.
- 2019: Tasmanian Herbarium, Little Swanport: Discovering the Flora of Wind Song: Botanical Art and Science. In conjunction with the Herbarium’s first Expedition of Discovery held at Wind Song, a property on Tasmania’s east coast, Botaniko produced artwork of a selection of native plants growing on the property.
- 2020: Next year, members of Botaniko will be working with the Tasmanian Herbarium and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) to paint a selection of native plants found growing on the property Wind Song, on the Tasmanian East Coast, part of which has recently been returned to the Traditional Owners by the Tenniswood family.
- 2020/21: Woodbank Gardens, Longley: Gillanders Gondwana – The Blooming of Woodbank Gardens. Botaniko members were privileged to have access to Woodbank Gardens in the foothills of Mt Wellington to depict the Gondwanan plants collected throughout the world by Ken and Lesley Gillanders. This was an extended project as a result of the pandemic.
- 2022: Government House, Hobart: Floral Splendour – Government House Garden. This project recognised many of the plants of significance growing in the grounds of Government House.
- 2023: Spring Bay Mill, Triabunna: Botanical Remediation – The Regeneration of the Spring Bay Mill. Botaniko members were given access to the site to illustrate a selection of botanical specimens, some new and others reintroduced.
- 2024: Narryna Heritage Museum, Battery Point: The Gardens and Plants of Historic Battery Point. This project provided a glimpse into what was growing in the gardens of historic Battery Point also incorporating the background to some significant gardens.
Botaniko Art Group Membership
The group has reached maximum capacity, however, should we be able to accommodate more members in the future, notification will appear on this site.