ABOUT
Mali Moir began her career as botanical artist at the National Herbarium of Victoria Australia, contributing pen&ink drawings for many scientific publications. By working closely with botanists, she has gained an understanding of the importance of scientific accuracy, the fundamentals of precise measurement and thorough depiction of detail. Exhibiting for over 25years in Australia and internationally, Mali has produced many works for private, public and corporate collections and also teaches natural science art.
Mali has a keen interest for artistic interpretation of natural history themes in the Accurate Realism style. She approaches her work with traditional techniques whilst developing a fresh contemporary look. Mali executes works on paper with the consummate skill of a dedicated artist as she combines her fascination for science and nature with an active desire to render works of art with beauty, character and scientific integrity.
Mali has recently developed an interest in creating larger artworks of animals with particular interest in stock animals along with rare and endangered species in a sophisticated and contemporary art style, exploring dynamic compositions and using the impressive qualities of charcoal. As a deliberate departure from the rigours of scientific microscopic detail, Mali explores the technique called sfumato where the subject's edges are softly blended, imparting an intriguing smoky effect.
PROJECTS/INTERESTS
2012 Artist on ‘Our Planet Reviewed – Expedition Papua New Guinea’ with National Museum of Natural History Paris, France. A major program for the exploration of nature with a mission to acquire new knowledge in areas of the globe that boast a wealth of biodiversity yet have been little explored. ‘Madang 2012’, through rapid survey research techniques, field collections and observations, the marine component surveyed both shallow and deep sea waters to assess diversity of local species richness for conservation purposes. During the five week stay, many field sketches were produced for use in Museum publications and for exhibition.
2011 Artist on ‘The Prom Bioscan’ project with Museum Victoria and Parks Victoria. A two-week intensive biodiversity survey of Wilsons Promontory National Park, targeting terrestrial, freshwater and marine wildlife at remote and rarely-visited sites. This rapid census was a rare opportunity with over 70 scientists and volunteers working simultaneously across the park helping Parks Victoria assess the environmental impact of recent extreme weather events: the 2005 and 2009 fires and the floods in early 2011. Field sketches and paintings have been produced for Museum Victoria of marine intertidal species.
2011 Co- curator and initial concept designer of ‘The Eternal Order in Nature: the science of botanical illustration’ art exhibition involving 30 nationwide botanical artists, displays from the State Botanical Collection Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, and some rarely seen items from several private collections, hosted by the Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. This exhibition was designed to coincide with the XVIII International Botanical Congress.
2010 – 2019 Leader of ‘Beckler’s Botanical Bounty: The Flora of Menindee - 150th commemorative collection’ is an ongoing project involving artists and scientists in bringing together the re-collection of a significant 1860 Australian plant collection of Dr Hermann Beckler, together with the illustration of species collected. Inspired by the 150th anniversary of the Burke & Wills Victorian Exploration Expedition, botanical artists from Victoria and New South Wales, aim to revive interest in Beckler’s plant collection. This model supports and expands community interest in culture, heritage, art and science by way of education and participation.
2014 Allpress.Moir project. Drawings of Objects of Virtue. Collaboration with Allpress Antiques creating large charcoal drawings of rare and beautiful antiques from Jamie Allpress collection. First launched at Melbourne Antique Fair in May 2014.
CAREER
Accurate Realist Artist. Freelance botanical, scientific and natural history artist 1989 –
Botanical illustrator, National Herbarium of Victoria, 1993 – Teacher of botanical and natural science art 2001-
ASSOCIATIONS
Honorary Associate of the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne 2012 –
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017 ‘The Red List’ Metro Gallery, Melbourne Australia
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2019 Kauai National Tropical Botanic Garden Florilegium Project exhibition, Island of Kauai, Hawaii USA
2018 Flow Australian based artists. Beinart Gallery Brunswick Melbourne Australia
2018, 2014 ‘Paul Guest Art Prize’ Finalist, Art Gallery of Bendigo, Victoria Australia
2018 Group Exhibition, Hill Smith Gallery, South Australia
2018 ‘The Florilegium-Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney’ Shirley Sherwood Gallery, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew UK
2018 ‘Beckler’s Botanical Bounty’ Art Gallery of Ballarat, Victoria Australia
2017 ‘Romancing the Skull’ Art Gallery of Ballarat, Victoria Australia
2017 ‘Science and Art, Past and Future’ XIX International Botanical Congress Shenzhen P.R. China
2016 'Equus' Olsen Irwin Gallery, Sydney Australia
2015 ‘The Horse’ National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Australia
2015 ‘Vignettes’ Art Gallery of Ballarat, Victoria Australia
2014 ‘Rick Amor Drawing Prize’ finalist, Art Gallery of Ballarat, Victoria Australia
2014 - 1996 ‘The Art of Botanical Illustration’, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne Australia
2016 -15 -14 -12 -10 -09 -08, ‘Botanica’, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney Australia
2013, 2010 ‘Lethbridge 10000 Small Scale Art Award’ Lethbridge Gallery, Brisbane Australia
2012 ‘The Art of Science’ Museum Victoria, Australia (travelling exhibition South Eastern Australia)
2012 ‘Capturing Flora: 300 years of Australian botanical art’ Art Gallery of Ballarat, Victoria Australia
2011 ‘The Eternal Order in Nature: the science of botanical illustration’ Domain House, Melbourne
2011 ‘Focus on Nature: the Best of the Best’ New York State Museum, USA
2011 ‘Crepuscula’ City Galleries Melbourne, Australia
2010, 2006, 2004, ‘Focus on Nature’, New York State Museum, USA
2009 ‘BotanicAsia’ Domain House, Melbourne Australia
2009 ‘Nature ID’, Jan Manton Art Gallery, Brisbane Australia
2009 ‘Reframing Darwin: evolution and art in Australia’ The Ian Potter Museum of Art University of Melbourne
2009 ‘Fishing & Hunting’, Adam Galleries, Melbourne Australia
2009 ‘Margaret Flockton Art Prize’, Sydney Australia
2009 - 2008 ‘Hidden in Plain View, the forgotten flora’ Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, travelling throughout Victoria
2008 ‘Plasma Soul’, Nellie Castan Gallery, Melbourne Australia
2008 ‘VFFA Art Show 2008’, inaugural show, Victorian Fly Fishing Association
2008, 2007 ‘Nature + Art’, Woodbine Art Gallery, Victoria Australia
2007, 2004 ‘The Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize’, South Australia
2007, 2003, ‘Karwarra Botanical Art Exhibition’, Victoria Australia
2006 ‘The Masters’ Botanical Art Exhibition RBG Sydney Australia
2006, 1998, Wildlife Art Society of Australasia, Melbourne Australia
2005 ‘Woodbine Art Exhibition’, Red Box Gallery, Sydney Australia
2003 ‘Nature’s Art Revealed’ National Herbarium of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
2003 ‘Botanica’ Dickerson Gallery Melbourne Australia
2002 ‘Special Botanicals’, Villa Mulberry, Melbourne Australia
2001 ‘London Flower Show’, Royal Horticultural Society, London
2001 ‘10th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration’, Hunt Institute USA
2001 ‘1st Botanical Illustration Exhibition’, Benalla Regional Art Gallery Australia
1991 ‘Centenary Botanical Art Exhibition’, Burnley, Melbourne Australia
HONOURS / AWARDS
2018 Celia Rosser Honorable Mention, Friends of Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
2017 Bronze Certificate XIX International Botanical Congress Art Exhibition, Shenzhen P.R. China
2009 Highly Commended Award, ‘Margaret Flockton Art Prize’, RBG Sydney
2006 Purchase Award, ‘Focus on Nature IX’, New York State Museum, USA
2002 Celia Rosser Inaugural Medal, Friends of Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
2001 Gold Medal, ‘London Flower Show’, Royal Horticultural Society, London
1998 Highly Commended Award, Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Exhibition, Melbourne
COLLECTIONS
Melbourne Museum, Victoria Australia
Art Gallery of Ballarat, Victoria Australia
City Galleries, Melbourne Australia
State Botanical Collection, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne Australia
Simplot Australia
New York State Museum, USA
Kate Smith Art Collection
Shirley Sherwood Collection
Private collections, Australia, Scotland, England
PUBLISHED WORKS
2014 ‘Inspiration Wild, an artistic celebration of nature and environment’ Wildlife Art Museum Australia
2013 ‘The Art of Science, Remarkable natural history illustrations from Museum Victoria’ John Kean
2012 ‘Capturing Flora, 300 years of Australian botanical art’ Gordon Morrison, Art Gallery of Ballarat
2010 ‘Botany for the Artist’ Sarah Simblet, Master Class feature piece
2014 -2002 ‘Flora of Australia’, Volume 44, 37, ABRS, Environment Australia
1999 -1994 ‘Flora of Victoria’, National Herbarium of Victoria, Inkata Press, volumes 2, 3 & 4
1998 -1993 Action Statements, Department of Natural Resources and Environment
1997 ‘Life and Letters of Ferdinand von Mueller’, R.W.Home and S. Maroske
1994 - ‘Muelleria’, National Herbarium of Victoria
1993 Australian Systematic Botany, P.Y.Ladiges, Melbourne University
1992 ‘The Most Important Building in Town’, Gary Hurle, Hill of Content
ARTICLES
‘Best of Botanical Art’ Issue 15, Art Edit 2017.
‘Making Science Visible’ Issue No.5 2016, Neue Luxury.
‘Flowering Talents’ Volume 23/2014, Gordon Morrison, ArtLife.
‘Every picture tells a story in world of old and new plants’ July 2013, Lawrence Money, The Age.
‘A brush with life’ October 2009, Living by Design, The Sunday Age.
‘BotanicAsia’, September 2009, Asian Executive.
‘Recording Nature, from past to present’ Aug 2008- Feb 2009, World of Antiques & Art.
‘Lily moves to the Big Apple’ May 30 2006, Bayside Leader.
‘Mali’s “Golden” Grevilleas’, Spring 2002, Floreo RBG Melbourne.
‘Native Attraction’, August 26 2002, Umag.
‘Striking gold with flower painting’, January 7 2002, Stonnington Leader.
‘The Art of Detail’, Spring/Summer 1996/97, Country Gardener.
GIFTS TO CHARITY
2014 Wildlife Art Museum of Australia
2010 ‘Art 4 Sharks’ Australian Marine Conservation Society art auction, painting of Epaulette Shark
2009 ‘Name a New Species of Shrimp’ painting on vellum offered for naming rights auction on eBay