Evelyn Brandt's painting in the Exhibition

Last year we ran a series of interviews with artists involved with the Beckler's Botanical Bounty Project. We hung many of those  paintings in our Exhibition in Menindee last year. Over the next few weeks we would like to show you blog posts of some of the finished works on display.


Evelyn Brandt loves the tiny detail of plants. Her microscopic drawings show us why botanic art straddles the artistic and scientific worlds and has such an important place in botany. Each magnified element of the reproductive parts helps to identify the plant while creating a wonderful work of art.

The full interview with Evelyn is here, but as a reminder, this is what she said about why microscopic work is so important:

At the moment I am really interested in microscopic work. I want to understand the important botanic characteristics that define the species. The key characteristic for this one, Chenopodium cristatum, is the perianth. This is part of the flower. There are 5 perianth segments that encapsulate the seed, which you can only see under the microscope. It is the characteristics of the perianth that define it and differentiate it from the other chenopodium species.

In the full interviewEvelyn details how she has developed her own process for doing such fine, detailed botanic art work.

Evelyn's work in progress

The painting of Chenopodium cristatum is not the only one Evelyn has been painting. In the Exhibition she had four works and each one showed her beautiful, detailed work.

L to R: Tetragonia moorei, Chenopodium cristatum (Art work copyright: Evelyn Brandt)

L to R: Centipedia cunninghamii; Casuarina pauper (Art work copyright: Evelyn Brandt)

And Evelyn's work hanging in the Exhibition

Hanging together (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson 2014)

Photo copyright: Anne Lawson 2014

Evelyn Brandt

Evelyn Brandt -- Botanic artist

Chenopodium cristatum
Crested goose foot

I just love being part of the group project, knowing that I am part of something historic. This is my third year in a row and the project is important enough to me to come here in my holidays!

Evelyn's work space (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson 2013)

It happens that I have been following plants that have the same habit. They are not in the same genus or family, but it means that I will have a series of paintings that look similar.

Chenopodium cristatum

At the moment I am really interested in microscopic work. I want to understand the important botanic characteristics that define the species. The key characteristic for this one, Chenopodium cristatum, is the perianth. This is part of the flower. There are 5 perianth segments that encapsulate the seed, which you can only see under the microscope. It is the characteristics of the perianth that define it and differentiate it from the other chenopodium species.

Our botanist found it out in the field because it had a distinctive aromatic smell. However we had to confirm it under the microscope back in the Hall.


I have developed my own process for the microscopic work I do for my paintings. I make reference drawings that I can use long after the plant has expired. I start with a habit photo in the exact position that I am going to paint. My next step is to dissect all the parts of the plant that require microscopic investigation, and check the plant's characteristics against descriptions in botanical reference books. I then sketch the subject and colour each sketch in, as the colour fades quickly under the lights of the microscope. I take USB microscopic photos of the fresh specimens and dissections as well.

Evelyn's drawing on tracing paper, with the actual specimen. (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson 2013)

After I have all the reference drawings, I start working on the final painting. The reference drawings are important in case the plant dies before I have a chance to finish the painting. I usually keep most of the plant samples in the fridge and keep one out to dry for reference material.