Susan Lester: Birds of Tasmania opens at TMAG

This week the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) is delighted to open Susan Lester: Birds of Tasmania, an exhibition of finely detailed watercolours of Tasmanian birds from the TMAG Collection.

In 1987, artist Susan Lester was commissioned to paint 200 of Tasmania’s birds for a book to commemorate the Examiner newspaper’s 150th anniversary.

She worked with ornithologist and Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery curator Dr Bob Green, and spent time observing the birds in the bush and drawing museum specimens to ensure accuracy in her paintings.

Susan worked for four years to produce the exquisite and finely detailed watercolours; however, the book was never published, and the watercolours went missing.

In 1999, 199 of the 200 watercolours were discovered in a safe at Hobart’s WIN Television studio and were subsequently donated to TMAG. The 200th painting, of the swift parrot, remains missing.

Sadly, Susan passed away after a brief illness in early 2022. As a tribute, her family fundraised to make the book a reality and her works will finally be published in a bespoke publication, Birds of Tasmania.

To coincide with the book’s publication, TMAG is displaying a selection of the 199 of Susan’s paintings it holds in a special Salon Gallery exhibition.

TMAG Principal Curator of Art Jane Stewart described the collection of works as a significant one for Tasmania.

“I think the fact that Susan spent four years of her life dedicated to painting Tasmanian birds, and learning about Tasmanian birds and painting them in such a vibrant, exquisite and faithful way, is what really sets this body of work apart from other images of birds from a similar time,” Jane said.

“We have also been happy to support Susan’s family and friends in publishing the paintings so that more Tasmanians can enjoy these delightful works.”

Visitors are invited to explore the exhibition, as well as take part in a range of creative activities suitable for the whole family, at a special bird-themed Discovery Day at TMAG this Sunday 4 December from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Susan Lester: Birds of Tasmania is on show in TMAG’s Salon Gallery from 1 December 2022 until 12 February 2023. For more information about the publication, visit the Birds of Tasmania website.

Image details: Susan Lester (1956-2022), Silvereye c. 1987-1991, watercolour. Gift of ENT Corporate Pty Ltd through WIN Television under the Cultural Gifts Program, 1999. AG7073.187