Vida Lahey: colour and modernism

Even if they keep fresh, [flowers] are never static. Like children, they are full of life and will not 'stay put'. You soon notice this when you start to paint them. You find that they are constantly readjusting themselves to the light and to one another.. Vida Lahey, 1940 RIGHT Noonday shadows 1946 Watercolour and gouache over per on wove paper on cardboard / 45.5 WrW:vvvn tHn J e . x l " — . , I I and vibrant colour during the 1930s, he continued to produce watercolours with extraordinary colour values AIR such as the murky purplish browns, embers, greens and clUes of Dutchman pio ThecuriosIfi i i f lie Di f n v i I D In F An to/ochia eiegan ) and its hardiness made it 04 Iocular plant in Brisbane gardens, but It was fatally 4 I , i ctive to the spectacular Richmond Birdwing butterfly 4 D' r ithopfera richmond/a) once common in the region. Richmond Birdwing butterflies lay their eggs on the foliage of 'Dutchman's pipe' instead of on their native food plant - the Richmond Birdwing vine )Parahsto/och/a praevenosa) the caterpillars are poisoned. LEFT Dutchman's pipe /950 ii'ivtercluIr / 54.5 x 4450m / Purchased /950 Collection: University of Queensland