STORY BEHIND THE ART OF BARBARA OOZEERALLY

20th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists & The Horticultural Society of New York

Seedheads of Firewood Banksia 

Banksia menziesii

My fascination with the Banksia genus began after visiting Australia a few years ago. I brought with me a few seed heads which I painted on rainy autumn and cold winter days. All my 'treasures' are properly labeled, wrapped in tissue paper and stored in shoeboxes.

Usually I do not paint this same subject twice, but I made an exception for Banksia menziesii. I used it for three of my paintings. Looking at them, it is not difficult to understand why. The seed heads are strikingly beautiful and, by turning them around, the artist can achieve a different look and composition.

Banksia menziesii is commonly known as firewood banksia and grows up to ten meters high. The flowers are orange and red in colour, which develop into attractive seed heads. From cone shaped, grey in colour and velvety to touch, seed heads erupt follicles, which are open like big lips after releasing seeds after the bush fire.

The colours of the painting are primary shades of greys and browns. I had the most difficulty with the un-pollinated parts, which are clusters of tiny diamond-shape cushions.

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