“Swainson” Plaque PLQ3 by Nicola Slaney Limited to 25

Swainsona Formosa is more commonly known in Australia as Sturt’s Desert Pea, named after English botanist Isaac Swainson.  It is famous for its blood-red, leaf-like blooms, and is one of Australia’s most familiar wild flowers.  Like the century-old Moorcroft art pottery, the Sturt Desert Pea is a survivor.  It grows in the more arid regions of central and western Australia, and its notoriety caused it to become the emblem of South Australia.  In Nicola’s Swainson plaque, the bright red petals are juxtaposed with a pure white clay body, thereby giving this limited edition a sense of purity and clarity.