Julie McEnery 'An Artist in Tropical North Queensland'

Julie will speak on the development of her Offshoots works and her relationship with the Cairns Botanic Gardens, including features of the Gardens' collection depicted in her work, such as the Aboriginal Plant Use Gardens, mangroves and the ever popular amorphophallus titanum.

Julie McEnerny trained at Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney during the 1980s, later relocating to Cairns where she co-owned a popular design studio. She now works as a freelance artist and illustrator from her Cairns studio, exhibiting regularly and tutoring in Botanical Drawing with Queensland's Flying Arts Touring Program. During 2009 she accepted a Botanical Artist residency with Cairns Botanic Gardens and Tanks Arts Centre, which led to a series of five annual exhibitions: Offshoots I-V. Julie conducts botanical drawing workshops on a weekly basis at the Cairns Botanic Gardens.