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Artwork 29 Scarlet Banksia with Bushfire Sun

Section 22

The Fire-Embracing Proteas of Oz—Waratahs, Grevilleas, Hakeas, Banksias, and Isopogons

Stirling Range National Park, Western Australia, Western Australia

SHOW PLANT PINS

  1. 1. Banksia coccinea (scarlet banksia)
Artwork 29: Scarlet Banksia with Bushfire Sun 1
Banksia coccinea (scarlet banksia)

Artwork 29

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Limited edition giclee archival quality print on 310 gsm Ilford cotton rag (from an original work in watermedia on watercolour board, 76 cm high x 56 cm wide)

from the artist

This is one of a pair of artworks featuring the spectacular “scarlet banksia”. Banksia coccinea (from Latin coccineus (scarlet)) were a special feature during many visits to the Stirling Range in South-West Western Australia. They are featured here with fire, as fire kills the plants (which have no lignotubers) but the follicles are opened with fire, so fire is necessary for regeneration.

In these paintings there are subtle shifts in lighting, from sunlight to moonlight, as well as bolder lighting effects as flames leap and twist behind the plants, and fiery smoke billows into the day or night skies. B. coccinea is a distinctive species with no close relatives. It has no discernible scent, although it is pollinated by birds, which usually respond to a sweet scent (Collins et al., 2008/2009, pp. 177–180)).

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