It is indeed a fascinating read about the life and times of Ellis Rowan - an intrepid woman adventurer and wildflower painter 1848-1922. During her lifetime she painted over 3000 works, not only wildflowers across Australia but also New Zealand, New Guinea and America, and included 45 of the 52 known species of New Guinea's birds of paradise.
Today Ellis's work is largely forgotten. The Australian National Library in Canberra has the largest collection of her works - 970 paintings, mainly watercolours.
The book, The Flower Hunter, was recommended to me by my friend who is a "florist" extraordinaire. Actually to say "florist" is not enough to describe the beautiful floral art she does, exhibits and teaches. Flowers are her life!
Any of you that have been following my blog will know that I am a bit of a flower hunter too. I love wandering through the bush with my camera looking for wildflowers.
I was thrilled last year when "Wildflower Country" got in touch with me about using some of my wildflower images in their new edition of their free tourist guide - "Exploring Western Australia's Wildflower Country". I was even more thrilled when my images appeared on the front and back covers as well as inside the magazine. Below is the front cover.
I feel so incredibly lucky to live in Western Australia with all these wildflowers.
Today in celebration of Ellis Rowan, my friend "the florist", and my own wildflower hunting, I through I would bring to you some of the amazing wildflowers of Western Australia.
There is always something flowering somewhere in the Australian bush.
And orchids
And wildflowers in our little patch of bush near our home in suburbia.
You can read something about the Rowan Collection at the Australian National Library by clicking here - Australian National Library
And if you "Google" Ellis Rowan under "images" in your search engine you can see some of her amazing work.
You can pick up a copy of Exploring Western Australia's Wildflower Country in Visitor Information Centres in WA's midwest region.
Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
Mosaic Monday
Our World Tuesday
Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Agent Mystery Case
What's It Wednesday
Travel Photo Thursday
You might also like:
How to take great flower photos
Western Australian wildflowers
Flowers that bloom in the red rock of Mt Augustus
This post totally blew me away!! Oh my, what a collection of beautiful mosaics! Congratulations on your being noticed for the book. You are such an amazing artist yourself with photography.
ReplyDeleteStunning wildflowers Jill, what are the pink ones at the top and that were included in the tourist guide? Congrats for having your photography shown in the guide.
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking to Mosaic Monday.
They are generically called everlasting of which they are many varieties. They are papery and last a long time dried out of water
DeleteWow! Some of those flowers are so exotic looking and unusual.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Jill. I can see why Exploring Western Australia's Wildlflower Country would use your incredible wildflower images - they are simply stunning! I love how you have collaged them together according to colour. The bush orchids are spectacular and it is astonishing that they grow wild like this.
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous images, Jill! Congratulations for being printed too. My mum gave me a gorgeous book for my birthday. It is called "Seeing Flowers" by Teri Dunn Chace and photographs by Robert Llewellyn. The images are divine!
ReplyDeleteA fabulous collection of wildflowers from your state Jill and what a thrill to have some of your photos featured in "Western Australia's Wildflower Country" We don't have as many in S.A. but I do love searching out pretty and unique wild orchids which grow in our rural bushland areas..
ReplyDeletecongrats!! beautiful flowers!
ReplyDeleteSo many gorgeous shots of the wildflowers!
ReplyDeleteWow! This post is fabulous. . .those flower mosaics are stunning. Congrats on having your photos recognized as the art pieces they are!!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on making the book cover!
Beautiful blossoms, they have brightened my day. You are very lucky to live in that part of the country and how wonderful is it that 'Wildflower Country' wanted to use your images.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the book cover...I can see why they chose your pictures...fabulous images!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on having some of your lovely wildflower images published Jill. So, so beautiful and I do the same thing. While there are a few wildflowers in the wood here, not so many as what you shared. I love the shades of pink, blue and purple the best! They are what I landscape with, but all of your beauties are stunning. Hugs!!!
ReplyDeletethank you dear wonderful readers. Taking photos of wildflowers is a passion of mine and I feel so privileged to live in Western Australia where there are so many 1000s of varieties. And getting a cover is such a thrill! The editor found me on google showing you that blogging sometimes does pay! I am sorry I haven't replied to you this week, as I am off wildflower hunting!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!
ReplyDeleteYes you really do love flowers, love all the mosaic galleries, it must be wonderful to explore outdoors and see all those amazing blooms.
ReplyDeleteAmazing collection of flower photos. I can easily spend an hour or more looking at all the details in the flowers you have presented here. The variety is incredible (colors, textures, patterns). With flowers, I do not think there is a way to get bored.
ReplyDeleteLovely post ,greeting from Mons in Belgium
ReplyDeleteHappy summer, ,greeting from Mons in Belgium
ReplyDeletehttp://louisette.eklablog.com/
Your wildflower photos are so wonderful, I'm not a bit surprised that they used them in the guide and featured them on the covers. Congratulations. I like how you grouped the collages by color. Western Australia is lucky to have such a long wildflower season. Where I am in Austin, it's spectacular for a few weeks, but that's all.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos. I'm not surprised Wildflower Country wanted to use some of your images. I too love finding and photographing wild flowers (as well as other blooms).
ReplyDeletethank you dear wonderful readers for stopping by and for your comments. My apologies for not visiting your blogs this week as I have been away wildflower hunting in our midwest. I will blog about it soon! Take care everyone, and happy blogging.
ReplyDeleteYour wildflower photos are like a chocolate box. I wouldn't know which to pick if I could pick only one! They are beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteI have an Ellis Rowan panting, she was a friend of my husband's aunt, this one is of daisies and very precious to us. Love your beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteoh how amazing Penny. What a treasure indeed!
DeleteCongratulations, Jill! So great to see your wonderful photography getting recognition!! Your collages are gorgeous - the orchids are always a favourite, but the mulla mulla always wins hands down!! We used the free guide a couple of years ago when we travelled in WA, and the best thing was that wildflower season really starts as early as July in the Kimberley region so we could follow the wildflowers south. My mother is a Western Australian and she always told us how nothing compared to WA wildflowers - and I was happy to confirm that she was RIGHT!
ReplyDeletethank you so much Red. I feel incredibly lucky to live in Western Australia amongst all these amazing wildflowers. I never tire of photographing them.....much to my son's annoyance when we travel! My husband is used to it now!
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