Description

Sophie Underwood 'Blue Gum'
816 x 920 mm (width x height) - Printed for framing
This exceptional museum quality fine art print of original collage is made out of blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus) leaves. Printed by Full Gamut on beautifully textured Canson Photosatin FSC-certified paper.

Full Gamut is Tasmania's leading home for fine art printing and art reproduction and internationally certified Canson Infinity printer.

Each print comes with a special label; hand signed by Sophie Underwood and issued an individually hand-numbered edition. This print will be Edition 2.



The mandala collage is representative of the Self as well as the earth, emphasising the interconnectivity of the planet as one living organism, and feeding into Sophie’s advocacy on behalf of Tasmania’s natural environment and heritage.

As per Popova1, Nan Shepherd, Scottish mountaineer and poet, wrote “Place and a mind may interpenetrate till the nature of both is altered” echoing an ancient intuition about how our formative [and ancestral] physical landscapes shape our landscapes of thought and feeling.

Sophie is interested in how people experience landscapes. Eucalypt trees dominate much of Tasmania's landscapes, but most people don’t ‘see’ the species diversity, their cultural context or consciously appreciate their scenic values.

My leaf collage is a homage to blue gums and Tasmania’s natural heritage. Tasmania’s floral emblem, the blue gum is one of Tasmania’s 30 native Eucalypt species. Blue gum forest are under threat from land clearance and logging despite being critical habitat for the endangered Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolour). Growing in the Huon Valley in southern Tasmania for example are the world’s largest and tallest known remaining blue gums. These trees form part of the most carbon-dense forests on the planet but unfathomably are scheduled to be logged – including Lathamus Keep which has been identified by The Tree Project as the largest living blue gum.

Sophie wanted to donate this print to Landcare Tas to help support their fantastic work bringing the community together to improve the health of our natural and working landscapes.

1: Popova, M, 2021, Place, Personhood & the Hippocampus, Daily Good, Syndicated from brainpickings.org, Sep 26, 2021.



Sophie Underwood was born in Tasmania and grown up on this tiny, and much beloved, island that has forged her love of plants.

Mother, wife, artist, advocate and activist, Underwood has a background in geography, environmental studies and campaigning, botany, politics and natural resource management. She gained a Bachelor of Science First Class Honours from University of Tasmania having written her thesis on the vegetation of the west coast of Flinders Island which helped lead to the creation of permanent reserves for nature.

One of Underwood’s driving forces is to make a real and meaningful impact on the protection of Tasmania’s unique environment by ensuring the community is engaged, informed, empowered and has their voice heard by decision makers. She founded Freycinet Action Network and co-founded the Planning Matters Alliance Tasmania – both advocate for Tasmania’s natural environment, heritage, lifestyle and democracy. She is a community leader, organiser and spokesperson.

To learn more about Sophie’s work follow her @sophieunderwoodartist

https://www.facebook.com/sophieunderwoodartist

https://www.instagram.com/sophieunderwoodartist/

Additional Information

The winning bidder will be invoiced upon close of the auction. Items will be available for collection from the Landcare Tasmania office (Hobart CBD) after payment is received. Delivery can be arranged with costs to be paid by the winning bidder.

Auction close: 8pm Monday 29th May, Australian Eastern Standard Time