Seed Art Initiative
Local artists were commissioned to design the seed packets for the Noosa Seed Library. These packets are unique works of art in themselves, making them beautiful and interesting items to collect and display.
Anne Yang
Nasturtium and Pea – Sugarsnap
My childhood was spent on the beautiful Atherton Tablelands, in tropical Far North Qld, Australia with rainforests, crater lakes, waterfalls and mountains. Much time was spent outdoors, and my love and appreciation for the natural environment was nurtured from a young age. I paint in response to this emotional connection to my subject, delighting in the beauty of unspoilt nature, be it the rugged beauty of the bush or the vibrancy or delicacy of a flower. The mediums I employ include both soft pastel and oil, and I enjoy the unique qualities of each. I enjoy capturing the contrasting variety of colour, texture and form in the landscape and the illuminating power of sunlight. I paint en-plenair whenever possible, especially if travelling, and this helps me to observe unique characteristics of new subjects. The feeling of being present in the landscape is what I seek to instil into my work often imparting a feeling of repose, an escape from life’s often too frenetic pace.
Find me at: http://www.anneyang.com.au
Dale Leach
Cucumber and Marigold
Cucumber plants grow similar to a vine, and will grow best when they can grow vertically. It’s recommended to train them up some lattice, a fence, or even an archway. While they could grow in a pot, they’re happier in the earth where they can spread out.
Marigold Magic! Marigolds are a favourite, no-fuss annual that can bring the colour of sunshine to your garden, as well as butterflies, bees, ladybugs, and other beneficial insects.
Find me at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dale.leach.oz/
Website: https://www.daleleachart.com
Bluethumb: https://bluethumb.com.au/www-dale-leach-com-au
Fiona Groom
Lagos Spinach and Parsley
As an Artist I like to create emotion, reaction and narrative in my work. The Natural World but manly Animal Life are what inspire and inform me on what direction I need to take, and as the composition slowly comes to life, this new painting has established itself with its own story, its own response to evoke and a sentiment that lingers on.
Find me at:
Website: www.fmgfionagroomvisualartist.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fionagroomartist
Instagram: www.instagram.com/fgroom_artist
Jean Bennett
Sunflower (NEW)
My sole claim to fame in the art world was an Honours certificate for a portrait of my art teacher with the Royal academy in 1955.
As a busy farmer’s wife for sixty years in Kenya, Isle of Man and New Zealand, there was little time to indulge in the art world, now I am a widow living in Cooroy Palm Lakes and able to renew the enjoyment of playing with different mediums among like minded folk and enjoying the challenge. We had three children, one who still lives in Africa, one in Isle of Man and a son here in Australia. I have nine grandchildren. And seven great grand children, so feel very blessed.
Kiah Jardine
Basil and Dill
I am a local artist from the small village of Boreen Point. Since a young age, I have always loved to draw and paint, I mainly use acrylic paint, water colours and fine liners. I like to draw birds, insects and other animals but I also draw people in my own style that is influenced by Japanese manga and anime. I was selected to design a seed packet for Dill. The inspiration for my design came from watching the yellow ladybirds climbing through the Dill flowers in the Boreen Point community garden.
Leisa Gunton
Bean – Snake and Tomato – Tommy Toe
During the Covid lockdown, a lot of people started vegetable gardens, and we were no exception! Leisa hadn’t had a vege garden of her own for a long time, but this time a lot of planning would have to go into it because of the 7 brush turkeys that also live here. After feeling rather proud of the garden, the opportunity arose to create artwork for the seed bank, for which I am really grateful to be able to do, it felt like an award for all my digging, planting, mulching, watering, bee attracting and seed harvesting! My un-conventional water colour painting/drawing is on 600gsm water colour paper, using Windsor and Newton water colours and then detailed with pen.
Lexie – Jade Abel
Alyssum
Emerging contemporary artist exploring the natural landscape through a colonised vs coloniser lens. A Kunja and Wiradjuri descendant, born on Ngemba country, raising a revolution on Jinibara land. Lexie navigates being a white appearing woman whilst exploring her family lineage and how it is integral in her interpretation of the land in which she lives and creates on.
Dabbling in paint, mark making, eco dye, weaving and clay, Lexie is also an arts educator who is passionate about accessibility, inclusivity and social activism. When she isn’t in the veggie garden you’ll find her at a local creek or water hole pulling out invasive weeds.
Find me at:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lex_loves
Lorraine Bates
Pumpkin (NEW)
I’ve been a resident of Noosa Shire for 45 years and never plan to leave, having lived with my husband on a beautiful property in Kin Kin and now in Cooroy. In my career as a primary school teacher, I’ve taught in schools in Cooroy, Eumundi and Noosaville and was a teacher trainer for teachers and principals in the area. Since retirement, I’m enjoying restoring old books, a cappella singing, acting with Noosa Arts Theatre, reading, kayaking and caravanning around Australia. I began my art journey eight years ago. To my surprise, my first painting looked very like the original. I began experimenting with various paints, finally settling on coloured pencils as my preferred medium. It is thrilling to now be selling my works and receiving commissions. The Seed Library is a wonderful initiative of Noosa Library, and I’m thrilled to be invited to contribute to its success.
Michele Knightley
Lettuce – Salad Bowl Green and Chilli – Bishop’s Crown
ichele is an artist from Noosa producing Environment based, original artworks with a Coastal Australian theme. All her inspiration comes from the local environment, and she is in constant awe at the brilliant design evident in every aspect of nature. She works in the traditional mediums of painting, drawing, printmaking and photography. Michele has also developed her own technique of combining all of the above mediums, through digital editing techniques, to produce original artworks that are in a digital format. The designs for Michele’s seed packets, Chillies and Lettuce greens have been made with this method. Michele has always been a keen gardener, and has a plot in the community garden at Boreen Point that provides fresh produce to add flavour to the family meals.
Find me at: http://www.micheleknightleyartist.com
Find me on Instagram @michele_knightley
Nick Bryant
Borage (NEW)
In Adelaide at the age of 16 I joined the Royal Australian Navy as a Junior Recruit. I was sent to HMAS Leeuwin in Fremantle, WA. I was posted to HMAS Anzac after completing my Radio Operator Course and during the long hours at sea I started drawing cartoons and small copies of rock’n’roll stars. I moved to Cooroy in 2016 to Palm Lake Resort, where an art class commenced which I joined to recommence my drawing skills. I started drawing portraits of well-known identities. I.e. John Lennon, Carlos Santana and Maryanne Faithful, to name a few, with a black biro on A4 paper, which have been transposed onto white canvas in different sizes.
Sophie Munns
Cosmos and Coriander
“You have to really look at seeds … often appearing so small, so humble & easily unnoticed… yet so profound as to shape the natural world and history of human culture on the planet” ~ Sophie Munns
Australian artist Sophie Munns launched the Homage to the Seed Project for the 2010 Residency at Brisbane Botanic Gardens after an introduction to the Queensland arm of the global Millennium Seedbank Partnership set up by Kew Gardens. The project has since taken her on many residencies, working with Seed Scientists, Botanic Gardens, in diverse bioregions, in search of further knowledge on how science contributes to conservation programs, shifting climate conditions and awareness of all kinds of current impacts at force on the planet’s vast seed inheritance. Observing and recording in journals, taking copious photos, the artist has developed a unique visual language around seeds applied in the painting of large works on linen and mixed media work, innovative concertina & artist books, paper works & printmaking, all contributing to the conversation about the story of seeds. Authentic knowledge is recorded from the primary source – the seed. “Art as an interpretive medium has the capacity to represent multiple complex layers: The poetic side of life: The science: The history: The culture: The everything! The central motivation behind all my work as an artist is to reveal through research what is at stake and why seeds matter” Sophie Munns
Partners
Partnering with Permaculture Noosa and the Cooroy Community Permaculture Garden, Noosa Seed Library will draw on the local knowledge and experts in the field to guide the program in all things growing and seeds.
The seed packets will be beautiful works of art with designs commissioned from local artists with the help of the Butter Factory Arts Centre. Selected artists will gain exposure for their works while broadening community awareness of their missions and services.
Proudly funded and supported by the Queensland Government and the State Library of Queensland.