Gilbert’s Garden by Australian Botanical Artist Gilbert Dashorst

Renowned botanical artist Gilbert Dashorst’s exhibition “Gilbert’s Garden” which opened on November 14th  at The Fleurieu Arthouse, showcases a beautiful selection of new works in ink, gouache, pencil and chalk in addition to a small selection of prints.

The exhibition is a testament to Gilbert’s expertise and each piece emphasizes the minute observation and precision with which he captures the forms of a variety of plants and flowers.

Gilbert’s many years of dedication to his practice as the scientific illustrator, specializing in the field of botany at the Adelaide Botanical Gardens and State Herbarium are apparent in the skilfully and sensitively rendered works on display.. 

Gilbert’s love for the subject matter is evident in every delicate frond, petal and seed head.

The work reveals in intricate detail the hidden, internal world of plants and flowers; the decades of study are plain to see in a series of beautifully presented pieces.

In “Pomegranate”, gouache and lead pencil is used to showcase the lush scarlet of the fully grown fruit alongside intricate sectional studies of the various parts of the plant in different stages of growth.

Exquisitely decorative and of course scientifically accurate, the works are peaceful and stimulating at once as they illuminate elements of plants not usually noted.

In “Poa”, the simple grace of a swathe of grass is accentuated with a monochrome colour scheme and the effect is strikingly beautiful.

For this exhibition Gilbert has created new works which lay bare the secrets of the plants and flowers which grow in his own Normanville garden. 

Each piece is a beautiful lesson in the anatomy of Australian flora. 

The exhibition also offers a glimpse into the fascinating tools of Gilbert’s work.

Along the centre of the gallery space run glass-topped cabinets which are filled with some of the specialist implements and mediums used in botanical art. 

The collection includes paper-thin blades for opening minute plant parts, fine-nosed tweezers and sharp nibbed pens, all revealing a little insight into the magic and expertise necessary to create work of this standard. 

Allowing tools to share the spotlight with the finished pieces brings a wonderful insight into the normally unseen complexity of the painstaking work of botanical artists.

Gilbert is presenting a series of workshops and talks alongside the exhibition and you can book by emailing dashorstart1956@gmail.com

If you are visiting the Fleurieu Arthouse to see Gilbert’s Garden, why not take the opportunity to visit our in-house artisan studios, home to some of the region’s best practicing artists who live and work on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

You can also enjoy a freshly ground barista-made coffee in one of the cosy corners of our retail space which is carefully curated to display the best in locally made jewellery, ceramics, paintings, sculpture and more.

Browse the catalogue for Gilbert’s Garden here. For purchase enquiries please call us on 0410 433 244 or email at hello@fleurieuarthouse.com.au

Written by Lindsay Nightingale