David Mackay, Botanical Artist Home    .    Gallery    .    About the artist    .    Workshops    .    Contact Exhibitions Current and upcoming exhibitions: USA A triptych by David, 'Snow Gum, Eucalyptus niphophila', has been chosen for inclusion in an exhibition of selected pieces from the private collection of Alisa and Isaac M. Sutton in USA. This exhibition, ‘Botanicals, Environmental Expressions in Art’, has been organised through the Hunt Botanical Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The exhibition is open from late October 2009 through to 30^th June 2010 at the Hunt Library, Carnegie Mellon University. Australia David is currently working on two works (one of which will comprise four separate pieces on canvas) for the next Botanica exhibition at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney in April 2010. He is also working towards his next solo exhibition to be held in 2011 at Gallery 126 in Armidale, New South Wales (dates to be set). Recent exhibitions: England Two paintings by David were recently (to June 2009) in an exhibition at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery, Kew Gardens, London titled “Down Under”, a collection of works by Australian and New Zealand botanical artists One of David's paintings (Eucalyptus macrocarpa, Mottlecah) was selected for inclusion in the inaugural exhibition held in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery in Kew Gardens, London, titled 'Treasures of Botanical Art; Icons from the Shirley Sherwood and Kew Collections', opened by Sir David Attenborough on 17th April 2008. Japan Two of David Mackay’s paintings were selected for ‘A Passion for Plants’ The Shirley Sherwood Collection – Contemporary Botanical Masterworks, an exhibition at Seiji Togo Memorial Sompo Japan Museum of Art, Headquarters Building, 42^nd Floor (top floor), 1-26-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo from 22^nd April to 2^nd July 2006. There were 120 works by 90 artists from 18 countries, many never exhibited before; none had been shown previously in Japan. Australia A painting by David depicting the rich, vibrant colours of the leaves and fruit of the Blue Quandong, Elaeocarpus grandis, along with a selection of his prints was shown at the Dartnall Advisers’ 2009 Botanical Art Exhibition at 478 Argyle St, Moss Vale in the first two weeks of November 2009. Two of David's paintings were included in "The Fruits of Our Labours; Botanica 2008' at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney in April 2008. 'Botanica 2006 - The Masters' Exhibition. The exhibition was opened by Margaret Olley on the evening of Wednesday 5th July. Four new paintings by David Mackay were in ‘The Masters’ botanical art exhibition held in the Maiden Theatre at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney in July 2006.  Eighteen artists from New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia were invited to submit work to this exhibition which proved to be one of the most outstanding exhibitions of botanical art seen in Australia for many years.  Exhibitions list: Solo exhibitions: 2005 – “Tree and Leaf – an exhibition of paintings and prints by David Mackay”, Gallery 126, Armidale, NSW, Australia 2003 – “Snowgums and other recent works”, private showing, Armidale, NSW, Australia. 1999 - "Botanical Reflections", The Stables Gallery, Armidale, NSW, Australia. Group Exhibitions:    2009 – “A Brush with Nature”, Fernbrook Gallery, Kurrajong Heights, NSW 2008-09 – “Down Under – Contemporary Botanical Artists from Australia and New Zealand”, The Shirley Sherwood Gallery, Kew Gardens, London. 2008 – “Treasures of Botanical Art”, The Shirley Sherwood Gallery, Kew Gardens, London. 2008 – “Botanica – The Art of the Plant”, Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic gardens Sydney. 2007 – The inaugural Southern Highlands Botanical Art Exhibition, organised through the Gardens Historical Society. 2007 – “Botanica – The Art of the Plant”, Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic gardens Sydney. 2006 – “Botanica – The Masters Exhibition”, Maiden Theatre, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney 2006 – Margaret Flockton Award Exhibition, Red Box Gallery, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney 2006 – “A Passion for Plants” The Shirley Sherwood Collection – Contemporary Botanical Masterworks, at Seiji Togo Memorial Sompo Japan Museum of Art, Headquarters Building, 42^nd floor, 1-26-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. 2006 – “With an Eye for Detail”, The Forest Gallery, South Durras, NSW. 2005 – “Artburst”, Fernbrook Gallery, Kurrajong Heights, NSW. 2005 – “Botanica – The Art of the Plant”, Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic gardens Sydney. 2004 – “Celebration”, Hervey Bay Regional Botanic Gardens, Qld. 2004 - "Exploring Collectors – Two Centuries of Botanical Discovery”, Red Box Gallery, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. 2004 – "Botanica 2004 - The art of the plant", Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. 2003 – “The Waterhouse” exhibition of natural history art, South Australian Museum. 2003 – “A Passion for Plants: Art from the Shirley Sherwood Collection”, Smithsonian Institution, USA. 2003 - "Botanica 2003 - The art of the plant", Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney 2002-2003 - Shirley Sherwood exhibition of “Contemporary Botanical Art”, Denver Art Museum, USA. 2002 - "Botanica 2002 - The art of the plant", Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney 2001 - 2002 - "The 10^th International Exhibition of Botanical Art and Illustration", The Hunt Institute of Botanical Documentation, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA. 2001 - "Botanical Artists of the World II", Tryon Gallery, London. 2001 - "Botanica 2001 - The art of the plant", Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney 2000 - "The State of the Waratah", Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney during the 2000 Olympics 2000 - "Botanica 2000 - The art of the plant", Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney 1999 - "Botanica - The art of the plant ", Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney 1998 - "Nova Anglica - The web of our endeavours", New England Regional Art Museum, Armidale, NSW 1998 - Multi-colour, reduction lino-cut prints by the NERAM Lino-cut Class of '98, New England Regional Art Museum, Armidale, NSW 1997 - Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney 10^th Annual Art Exhibition, Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney 1996 - "The Richness of Botanical Art", Urrbrae House, Waite Institute, Adelaide, South Australia 1995 - "Garden Reflections- An exhibition of botanical and wildlife paintings by David Mackay, Nicola Oram and Marion Westmacott", Lion Gate Lodge, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney 1994 - "The Origin and Evolution of Monsoon Forests", an exhibition of botanical art held in conjunction with  an international botanical conference held at Kuranda, North Queensland, Australia. 1991 - "From Macquarie to Molecules - 175 years of botany and horticulture at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney", Maiden Theatre, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. 1990 - "Flowers and Nature - Bruguel to van Gogh", Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. (I gave demonstrations in botanical art as part of the exhibition.) 1989 - "Drawn from Life - The development of Botanical Illustration of Australian Plants", Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Australia. 1989 - "Science and Art", part of the "Centenary of Science Graduates" celebration at the University of Sydney, Australia. (My work and that of Leonardo da Vinci were hung together for a comparison of past and present botanical art in the service of science.)

Monday, 30 April 2007