Stephanie Radok

Araucaria 2023
woodcut on Arches paper; edition 1/3
Courtesy of the artist

Artist statement:

This print is one of a series for a solo exhibition in August 2023 called Tree Stories responding to the Waite Arboretum in Adelaide. Planting of trees from all over Australia and the world began there in 1928, though an avenue of 10 sugar gums was planted in 1877. The Arboretum was established on land given by grazier Peter Waite to the University of Adelaide in 1913 to be held upon trust and in perpetuity as a park or garden for the enjoyment of the public.

This Araucaria bidwillii is a bunya bunya from Queensland. They are dramatic trees that look like giant messy pine cones. They have an important Aboriginal history as food and sites of ceremony.

There is a nice circularity in making a woodcut of a tree. For this work I drew on my memory of the tree as seen rising in majestic spikiness at the Arboretum.