A LEGACY OF BOTH ART AND SCIENCE
Curatorial Essay for the Celia Rosser: Banksia Lady exhibition at Gippsland Art Gallery.
One of Gippsland’s treasures, botanical artist Celia Rosser, is best known for the significant three-volume series of monographs The Banksias, published between 1981 and 2000, which contained watercolour paintings of every Banksia species then known. Celia began working on this life-altering project in 1974 when she was appointed the Monash University Botanical Artist. (1) She spent the next twenty-five years meticulously painting the 76 Banksias illustrated in the folios. The publication of these volumes was the first time such a large genus of plant had been painted by a single botanical artist. (2) These impressive and majestic books are now in collections around the world, and have most notably been presented to Queen Elizabeth II by the Australian Government as a gift of the Australian people. (3)
Celia has received many commendations for her superb Banksia illustrations, including the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1995 (4), and the Jill Smythies Award for Botanical Illustration, presented by the Linnean Society of London in 1997. (5) The description of the Jill Smythies Award sums up the remarkable nature of Celia’s work, and reveals why her botanical illustrations are so highly regarded. This Award was bestowed “...in recognition of excellence in published illustrations in aid of plant identification, with the emphasis on botanical accuracy and the accurate portrayal of diagnostic characteristics.” (6) Monash University also recognised Celia’s contribution to the scientific community by awarding her an honorary Master of Science degree in 1981, and an honorary PhD in 1999. (7)
However, Celia regards her greatest honour to be the naming of a new species after her. (8) Banksia rosserae is native to Western Australia, and was discovered in the early 2000s, after the completion of her final volume. Celia was the first to paint this new discovery, and this final work marks the 77th Banksia illustration. This notable artwork was a turning point for Celia, as one of the first works she produced independently after the conclusion of The Banksias.
The exhibition Banksia Lady celebrates Celia’s contribution to both the scientific and artistic world. Coinciding with her 90th birthday the exhibition showcases original watercolours alongside botanical specimens collected by Celia herself. Drawing on loans from both the Monash University Museum of Art and the artist’s private collection, this exhibition highlights the time-consuming nature of Celia’s work, as well as the attention to detail evident in every piece. According to Celia, each work for The Banksias took on average three months to complete. The watercolour works—executed in realistic colour with fine brushes—are testament to her artistic skill. Complementing these works in the exhibition are cuttings and samples of the Banksia plants on loan from the Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens. These specimens allow visitors to view the plants that inspired Celia’s botanical illustrations.
Visiting Celia Rosser’s gallery at Fish Creek feels like stepping into the artist’s mind. Coming through the doors we are greeted by the artist herself, ready to share her stories and love of botanical art. Celia’s unassuming manner belies her reputation as one of the most acclaimed botanical illustrators in the world, and spending time with her allows us to see the humble Banksia, as well as other plants and animal species, in a new light. Her work encourages us to pay attention to the world around us and focus on the beauty in the Australian landscape.
Since the early-1960s Celia has been championing the Banksia, inspiring others to take another look for themselves. And for this reason she can rightly claim ‘I’m the Banksia Lady!’ (9)
1 “The Artist” Webpage, Celia Rosser Gallery,<http:/www.celiarossergallery.com.au/celia-rosser-the-artist.html> accessed 30.6.20.
2 “The Banksias” Webpage, Wikipedia, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Banksias> accessed 30.6.20.
3 Ibid.
4 Carolyn Landon, Banksia Lady: Celia Rosser, Botanical Artist, (Australia: Monash University Publishing, 2015), 195.
5 Ibid, 200.
6 “The Jill Smythies Award” Webpage, The Linnean Society of London, <https://www.linnean.org/the-society/medals-awards-prizes- grants/the-jill-smythies-award>, accessed 30.6.20.
7 “The Artist” Webpage, Celia Rosser Gallery, <http:/www.celiarossergallery.com.au/celia-rosser-the-artist.html> accessed 30.6.20.
8 Author in conversation with the artist, 2020.
9 Ibid.
