Sunday 13 April 2014

Valerie Richards

Valerie Richards -- Botanic artist

Eremophila sturtii

Why did you get involved in the Project?
I was interested, but thought it might be too hot. So when the others came back after the first year and told me it was spring like weather I decided to take the plunge.

Valerie's work area (Photocopyright: Anne Lawson, 2013)
I came initially for the painting, but what surprised me was how much I liked wandering around looking for the plants. I really love the desert area.

Eremophila sturtii

What plant have you been working on this year?
I have 2 eremophilas. One is very charming and very pretty. We have only found a couple of specimens of one, so I wanted to capture it in case it is not around next year. Then it will be on the completed painting list.

The second it E. sturtii. It has an absolute profusion of lilac, pink and cream flowers. It was these colours that attracted me at first. From a distance it looks like a green shrub. As you get to close to it you see the beautiful flowers. The impact of the colours was such a surprise. The shrub is symmetrical, attactive shape. It grows to 1 to 2 metres.



Valerie's painting of E. sturtii (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson 2013)


How will you go about painting your plant?
I draw an accurate drawing of the specimen onto tracing paper, go over the drawing on the reverse of the tracing paper and then transfer it to the good copy paper. The painting is done with watercolour. I am still thinking about drawing in the microscopic details.