A new exhibition titled “A Whimsical Life—the art of Linda Catchlove” opens at the Museum of Economic Botany in Adelaide Botanic Garden, celebrating the late South Australian artist Linda Catchlove. The show runs from May 31 to September 14 and features her botanical watercolours, Disney animations, children’s book illustrations, and personal tools, blending meticulous botanical illustration with whimsical fantasy elements inspired by her early career at Disney Studios in Sydney.
The exhibition matters because it honors a unique artistic legacy that bridges commercial animation and fine botanical art, highlighting Catchlove’s transition from Disney animator to horticulturist and her distinctive style that merges scientific accuracy with playful imagination. It also brings attention to the Museum of Economic Botany as a venue for cultural programming and underscores the value of regional artists in Australia’s visual art landscape.