Canberra journalist and garden-lover Genevieve Jacobs leads a discussion with botanical artist Julia Landford, ANU anthropologist Dr Bronwen Douglas and leading botanist Dr Judy West about the context and importance of the natural history art that arose from the voyages of Captain James Cook, as well as discussing the continuing significance of natural history art in the scientific field today.

Julia Landford is Director of the natural history art school, Canberra NatureArt Lab. In her twenty-year public service career with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Australia’s Aid Program, Julia was deployed to Papua New Guinea, South East Asia and the Pacific Region. The rich biodiversity of these regions was a great source of artistic inspiration and saw her establish Canberra’s first art school dedicated to artistic inspiration from nature.

Dr. Bronwen Douglas is an Honorary Professor at the ANU School of Archaeology and Anthropology and was a Harold White Fellow at the Library in 2010. Her research interests include the history of the idea of race, and the history of archaeology, anthropology, and collecting in Oceania.

Dr. Judy West has had an extensive botanical career and in 2003, she was awarded the Order of Australia for her services to Australian botany. Judy has dedicated her career to botany in several executive positions at the CSIRO and ANU, and is currently the Executive Director of the Australian National Botanic Gardens.

Image: Moses Griffith (1747- 1819), Rainbow Lorikeet, 1772, nla.cat-6155314