Birds of Tasmania by Susan Lester

Susan Lester was commissioned in the 1980s to paint 200 Tasmanian birds for a limited edition book to commemorate the Examiner newspaper's 150th anniversary. Sue worked for four years to produce the exquisite, detailed paintings. She spent much time observing the birds in the bush and drawing museum specimens to ensure accuracy.

 

Soon after she had delivered the paintings, the Examiner's parent company was caught in Tasmania's political bribery scandal and the paintings were forgotten. Almost a decade later, they were found at a commercial television station, and donated to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. While the book was never published, TMAG displayed some of the paintings in the Bond Store in a stunning exhibition.

On 30 January 2022, Sue died after a short, intense battle with cancer. With the support of TMAG, her family and friends plan to make this collection available as a book in memory of Sue. If you would like to help, we would welcome your contribution. We will stay in touch and let you know when the book is available.