Blooms and Brushstrokes

Blooms and Brushstrokes takes you on a unique journey through the history of Australian art, one flower at a time, examining the blooms depicted in still lifes, floral portraits, decorative interiors and botanical illustrations by a long line of Australian artists. Mother-and-daughter team Penelope and Tansy Curtin start this fascinating journey in the late eighteenth century, when the traditions adhering to the Western art canon were transplanted into the newly colonised Australia. They follow it through the rapidly developing artistic styles of the early twentieth century, to the new media of the contemporary period.

These works of art also shine a light on the role and importance of plants and flowers in everyday life. They illustrate changing floral fashions, as well as highlighting flowers in their various forms - cut flowers, pot plants and gardens. And along the way you'll encounter many of Australia's most significant artists, including John Glover, Arthur Streeton, Margaret Preston, Grace Cossington Smith, John Brack and Margaret Olley, as well as some of Australia's most beautiful, and sometimes intriguing, native flora, such as the waratah and Sturt's desert pea, not to mention perennial garden favourites like roses, sweet peas and daisies.

Spectacular, intimate, engaging and meticulously researched - and full of interesting and quirky facts about the flowers and the artists themselves, Blooms and Brushstrokes is a book for art, flower and history lovers alike.

Praise for Blooms and Brushstrokes
'Blooms and Brushstrokes is a magnificent celebration of the rich tradition of floral art in Australia.' - Simon Caterson, Weekend Australian

'Blooms and Brushstrokes is spectacular, meticulously researched and full of interesting and quirky facts about the flowers and the artists themselves.' - Readings

'Blooms and Brushstrokes is an important contribution to the world of flowers and the world of art - it is simultaneously a poetic history of flowers in Australian gardens; it is flowers in a suite of pictures; and thirdly it effectively narrates a history of Australian art itself, with the independent story of styles and influences and reflections on social changes. ...
'Ingenious concept, where the visual scrutiny favours the art, but the structure favours the flower …
    'Brilliant, because it works for those who do not know their flowers but enormously well for those who do, because they recognise how their knowledge ends up in art. For these reasons the importance of the book is hard to overstate.' - Robert Nelson, art critic, Age

'At last a book that combines flowers and works of art. The Curtin women share their knowledge and infectious enthusiasm to bring us this clever book, perfect for a good read or to dip in and out of.' - Nicola Downer, AM

'An attractive, vibrant addition to any coffee table ... Blooms and Brushstrokes will please gardeners, historians, and art lovers alike.' - Weekly Times

'Blooms and Brushstrokes is a sublime work of art ... There is so much to love in this book, it would make a beautiful gift, but it would take strength of character to actually give it away.’ — Lisa Hill, ANZ LitLovers

'The book is beautifully presented - large and lavish - with the feel of a publication destined to enhance the coffee table. The writing is very accessible and entertaining, where a narrative is presented that spans the personal and anecdotal to the scholarly.
Both authors convey a sense of enthusiasm and excitement for their subject as they consult with botanists and art historians in their quest for further flowers painted by Australian artists.' - Sasha Grishin, Canberra Times

Penelope Curtin is a freelance editor who works mainly in the area of art publications. Her great love in life is gardening and particularly growing old-fashioned roses.

Tansy Curtin is Curator of International Art pre-1980 at the Art Gallery of South Australia. She holds a Masters in Art History from the University of Adelaide. Tansy inherited the gardening gene from her mother, although she also loves growing edible plants.