Entertaining Nature at Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute

Visit the Ballarat Mechanics Institute during the Ballarat Heritage Festival and witness botanical art come to life.  On both Saturdays of the festival, the Reading Room will host live viewings of The Ballarat Botanical Artists of the Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens at work, offering a unique chance to see the creative process unfold in real time.

 Want to dive deeper? Register for the Botanical Drawing Masterclass, where just 12 participants will learn directly from working artists Valerie Richards and Roe Bancroft. Discover the techniques behind composition, measured drawing, and watercolour application in an intimate, heritage setting. Learn about the historical and scientific significance of true botanical art. Receive instruction on measured drawing from a plant, draw with a graphite pencil, apply watercolour washes and dry brush techniques. All materials supplied see below more details.