In Bloom

"During the 1800s and early 1900s, flower painting blossomed. Most of the artists were women. This genre was thought suitable for women artists because of the delicate subject and domestic setting.

These artworks defy this assumption – the artists creatively experiment with brushwork, colour, light, and form."

- exhibition wall text

"The main background for the exhibition was the work done on the publication Flora: Celebrating our botanical world. https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/about/te-papa-press/flora-celebrating-our-botanical This exhibition has provided a platform for sharing several of the works featuring in that book (many received conservation treatment over the last couple of years) and also reflects my interest in women working in the field of botanical painting."

- Dr Rebecca Rice, Senior Curator Art, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington