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Linda R Bester 🎶-🐦 ⭐️

@lindarbester

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BSc(Hons)DipSocScDipCLMDipVETDipMktg
Author, Ecologist, Graphic Designer @moonahpress
THREATENED SPP/SCIENTIFIC ART
NATURE ART AUSTRALIA 🦋 BASA 🌿VIC

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As a Victorian-based Sole Trader, I am always on the look out for special projects. I am particularly interested in one-off nature illustration commissions and graphic design work such as public signage, product label designs involving my artwork, album cover design and/or conversion (from vinyl to CD), nature art scanning, and other short term projects that involve similar skills.
I'm not so keen on taking on children's picture book commissions, as I'm working on my own ones, and they take quite a while.

If you need a certain skillset for your project, I have over 25 years of experience in graphic design, over 10 years in local government, and over 20 years in environmental education (including various universities).
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology and Environmental Management with first class Honours in Mycology. I also hold Diplomas in Social Science (legislation based) and Adult Education, amongst others. This will help to ensure that your project will be beautifully presented, highly accurate, and legally cautious.

If you'd like to see some of the work I've previously done, check out the 'Graphic Design' highlight on my page. 👌

If you have something in mind, please feel free to get in touch. 😊🌿

#wildlifeart #wildlifeeducation #wildlifedrawing #wildlifeillustration #wildlifeartwork #yarravalleyillustrator #yarravalleyartist #yarravalley #yarraranges #coldstream #lindarbester #lindabester #graphicdesigners #ecologist #ecologicalart #ecologicaldesign #publicsigns #naturebasedart #natureart #natureillustration #natureillustrator #naturedesign #naturebasedlearning #naturebasededucation #naturebasedsolutions #naturebaseddesign #environmental #environmentalscience #environmentaleducation #environmentaldesign taken in Coldstream, Victoria, Australia by @lindarbester

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4 years ago

Introducing a male Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang).

This is a small, Australian endemic Robin that grows to 13 cm in length. The males have a bright-scarlet chest, as opposed to the females which have a dull reddish chest and whitish throat.

These are not federally listed as threatened, but are listed in NSW as Vulnerable. They are found from south east Queensland to south east South Australia, and also in Tasmania and south west Western Australia. They have also been noted on Norfolk and Kangaroo Islands.

Abundant logs and fallen timber are an important component of their habitat, which is lost to inappropriate burning regimes. Other threats to the species include logging, general vegetation clearance, vegetation modification via grazing, firewood collecting, weed invasion, cats, and foxes.

Many thanks Craig Boase @wildportraits_australia for allowing me to use your beautiful photo of this species as a reference.

Completed 28th June 2026 using high quality watercolours and coloured pencils.

#Australianbirds #robins #robinsofInstagram #AustralianbirdsofInstagram #birdsofAustralia taken in Victoria, Australia by @lindarbester

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2 months ago

Introducing a male Tasmanian Southern Emu-wren (Stipiturus malachurus ssp. littleri).

This is a formally recognised subspecies of the Southern Emu-wren. It's endemic to Tasmania, and is known for its tail feathers, which have similarities to the feathers of an Emu, and are about twice the length of their body. Their vocalisations are also very distinct.

The females have darker streaks on their feathers; there are no blue feathers, or reddish head feathers, in comparison to the males.

A number of other subspecies exist across Australia. It is one of the country's smallest birds.

Their habitat includes marshes, wet grassy areas, and low heathland.

Threats include land clearance and degradation, fire, cats, climate change, and foxes.

This mixed media (watercolour and coloured pencil) illustration was completed 22nd April 2026 and is based on a beautiful photograph taken by an amazing nature-based photographer, Craig Boase @wildportraits_australia
Craig very kindly gave me permission to reference it. 😊

According to Craig, this male briefly popped up in low heathland at Strahan in far western Tasmania on a drizzly day at the end of March.

#tasmanianbirds #birdsoftasmania #australianbirds #wren #wrens taken in Strahan, Tasmania by @lindarbester

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4 months ago

Introducing the Helmeted Honeyeater (Lichenostomus melanops cassidix)… again! I know I’ve done this species a number of times, but this one was a commission for Sue Bendel and the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater Inc., as a gift for Bruce Quinn who retired unexpectedly at the beginning of this year, no thanks to the powers that be for laying off yet another round of threatened species staff (not happy!!). He’s one of the few people I know who can identify every bird in a given area by just standing still and listening to the different calls.

Bruce worked as a well-respected ornithologist for the past 33 years, and was the Senior Ornithologist for the Helmeted Honeyeater Recovery Program at the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA). He’d been in this position since mid-1993!

With all the knowledge we have now, you’d think that we’d be getting better with looking after the environment and the experts that are employed to advise and educate, and conserve and rehabilitate it; but whenever the government needs to make cuts, the environment is often one of the first in the firing line. This is not okay! 🤬

The Helmeted Honeyeater is a Critically Endangered species which is the faunal emblem of Victoria, Australia. Multiple wild to semi-wild populations of Helmeted Honeyeaters are found in remnant streamside swap forest east of Melbourne, dominated by Manna Gums (Eucalyptus viminalis), Swamp Gums (Eucalyptus ovata) and Mountain Swamp Gums (Eucalyptus camphora).

These birds feed on lerps, psyllids, manna, nectar, honeydew and eucalypt sap. They breed approx. early August to early March, usually raising two chicks, with young independent by 40 days. In the wild individuals live for around four years.

Completed 22nd April 2026 using a high quality coloured pencils and watercolour paints on my favourite Canson Moulin du Roy 300 GSM, 100% cotton, hot pressed watercolour paper.

Huge thanks to Stephen Garth @steves_birds for the use of one of his incredible photos of the bird as a reference.

#helmetedhoneyeater #threatenedspecies #australianfauna #birdsofaustralia #australianbirds
@friendsofthehelmetedhoneyeater @Cansonpaper taken in Victoria, Australia by @lindarbester

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5 months ago

So, this happened recently! The 76 artists are covered in alphabetical order by surname (I'm on page 26).

The 'Artists of the Ringwood area' focuses on a collection of incredible artists who have had connections with the Ringwood (Victoria) area from the 1880s until 2025.
I'm so very honoured to have been included in this publication.

My own connection with Ringwood involves having worked with Maroondah City Council for almost ten years, in the early 2000's in their biodiversity team. This included providing support for their 25+ conservation groups, organising community environmental events, running conservation education sessions for school groups, looking after their Sites of Biological Significance, producing educational publications, and water monitoring, amongst other things.
I left my mark in a number of reserves with the various signage I designed e.g. Wombolano Sensory Trail (Ringwood East), The Frogs of Warrien Reserve, and The Weeds of Warranwood Reserve.

I left another mark in Ringwood (North) a few years ago after winning a design competition to create an art wrap for a signal box. This is based next to the footpath on Warrandyte Road, at the junction of Wonga Road.

My good friend Ruth Jackson is also featured. Her botanical illustrations are next level, yet she is legally blind! Some of her work has been purchased by the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne for the State collection.

Then there's Linda Hibbs. Her painting of a local icon, Babi Desi (the Belgrave Wizard), is one of the best I've seen! You can see it in her section, pages 114-117.

I'm looking forward to reading up on the rest of the artists. If you're keen to buy a copy, be quick because stocks are very limited. Purchase details are on the first image.

#Australianartists #Ringwood #AustralianArtwork #AustralianArt #Maroondah taken in Ringwood, Victoria, Australia by @lindarbester

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7 months ago

Introducing the Lime, Lemon, or Chequered Swallowtail Butterfly - Papilio demoleus - a native to Australia and Asia.

The caterpillar of this species tends to invade citrus plants, where present, particularly in the Middle East to India.

In Australia the caterpillar tends to feed on Scurf Peas, which are native, perennial legumes, primarily from the genus Cullen.

It is a common and widespread species of Swallowtail, though unlike other Swallowtails it lacks a prominent tail. It has a wingspan of 8 - 10 cm.

During the caterpillar stage it resembles bird droppings, helping to protect it from predation.

Completed 28th Feb 2026 using a mix of watercolour and coloured pencils on #Canson Moulin du Roy 300GSM Hot Pressed Watercolour paper.

Reference: Dianne Emery's @dianne.emery mounted specimen, and several of my own photos for live state comparison.

Up until this point, coloured pencils have dominated my artwork. While I've often added watercolour elements to my work, I haven't generally used watercolour paints on their own.
As a birthday present I was gifted a botanical illustration course, run by Dianne Emery at Domain House at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne, and I've already learnt some great tips and tricks that I can apply to build upon my watercolour painting skills. Dianne is one of the best in the industry and I'm feeling very grateful that I'm able to take part in her classes.

#BeautifulButterflies #butterfliesofInstagram #ButterflyArtwork #Swallowtailbutterfly #ButterflyArt taken in Melbourne, Australia by @lindarbester

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8 months ago

Introducing the Wallflower Orchid, or Eastern Donkey Orchid - Diuris orientis.

There are approximately 106 species of Diuris that occur in Australia. This particular Australian orchid species is found in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania, and is locally common in light forest and heathlands, where it tends to flower from September to November.

It's sometimes confused with Diuris corymbosa and Diuris longifolia, which look similar but are now both considered, according to the Flora of Victoria, to be endemic to Western Australia.

It has been found to hybridise with quite a number of different Diuris species.

As with the majority of orchids, its threats include vegetation clearance, browsing (e.g. by rabbits, stock, etc.), inappropriate fire regimes, orchid collectors (illegal collecting), trampling/crushing (by animals/people/vehicles/etc.), slashing during flowering times, weed invasion and climate change, amongst other things.

Many thanks to Dr Debbie Reynolds for the use of your gorgeous photos of this species, as a reference. 😊

Illustration completed December 2nd, 2025 using high quality coloured pencils on Canson Moulin du Roy acid free paper.

Prints are available upon request (A4 = AU$60 and A3 = AU$80, plus $15 postage within Australia). All other artworks are also available as prints.

#australianplant #australianplants #orchidlover #orchidlovers #orchid #orchidflower #orchidflowers #donkeyorchid #donkeyorchids #australianorchid #australianorchids #diuris #diurisorientis #wallflowerorchid #orchidofinstagram #orchidoftheday #victorianorchids #australiannativeorchids #nativeorchid #nativeorchids #nativeorchidsofaustralia #naturebasedart #NatureArtAustralia #naturearts #natureartwork #natureartist #botanicalart #botanicalartist #botanist #botanicalillustration taken in Victoria, Australia by @lindarbester

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9 months ago

Hey all, I've had some wonderful success lately with various competitions, and thought I'd share some of them with you. 😊🎉🎉

Also, I have a market stall coming up at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne on the 22nd and 23rd of November 2025. It's one of my favourite markets and I'll have lots of print and card stock, including Christmas cards, so check out the second post for more info if you're keen on coming along.

It's rather scary how fast the year has gone! I seriously cannot believe that Christmas is almost upon us - again!

Anyway, if you happen to be stuck for a present, feel free to get in touch and I can get a gallery quality giclee print out to you. A4 prints are $60 and A3 are $80. Postage is $15 to anywhere in Australia.

I have many of my originals for sale too, though a number of them have sold. Feel free to get in touch if there's a particular one that you like, and I can let you know if I still have it, etc.

All the originals up on the wall at the Bendigo Bank in Boronia are for sale.
They'll be there for another month or two.

Thanks so much for your support throughout the years. It truly means a lot. ❤️

@melbourneroyalshow @wama_foundation @worldkangarooday
@friendsrbgmelbourne
@wyreena
@roundbirdlilydale

#supportartistsoninstagram #supportartist #wildlifeart #wildlifeartist #wildlifeartist #botanicalartist #botanicalillustration #yarrarangesartist #naturebased #natureartist #naturearts #NatureArtAustralia #ecologicalart #wyreenacommunityartscentre #christmascards2025 #wildlifeprints #wildlifeprintsforsale #botanicalprints #natureprints #naturecards #wama #WAMAartprize2025 #WAMAartprize #originalartforsale #easternbluegroper #redkangaroo #redkangaroos #burnie #burnietasmania #burnieburrowingcrayfish taken in Victoria, Australia by @lindarbester

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a year ago

Introducing the Australian Golden Whistler, Pachycephala pectoralis.

This species is generally described as common (not threatened), and is found in northern Queensland, around coastal eastern and southern Australia, including Tasmania, to the middle of Western Australia. It is also known to occur in Indonesia, Fiji, New Guinea, and the Solomons.

It's generally seen in most woodland habitats, forests, mangroves, mallee, and scrub, though it prefers dense vegetation. It is occasionally seen in parks and orchards.

Female Golden Whistlers lack the bright plumage, that is displayed by the male birds.

Both the males and females share the nest building duties. The nests are shallow and bowl shaped, and placed in the fork of a bush or tree, less than 6 m above the ground. They are made up of twigs, bark and grass, and then lined with finer grass and bound together with spider webs.

There is only one brood raised per season, and both the males and females share the egg incubation duties, and care of the young.

They feed on berries, insects, spiders and other small arthropods in understorey to middlestorey vegetation.

Thank you so very much Mel Casey, for letting me reference your gorgeous photo of this species for this illustration. Without generous photographers such as yourself, it would be very difficult for me to illustrate beautiful creatures such as this.

Completed 25th October 2025. Coloured pencil, gouache and watercolour paints on Canson Moulin du Roy 300 GSM 100% cotton paper.

#goldenwhistler #goldenbird #yellowbird #smallbird #smallbirds #australianbirds #australianbird #australianwildlife #australianwildlifeart #australianwildlifeartist #birdillustration #birdillustrations #birdart #birdartist #birdartists #birdartistsofinstagram #birdsofaustralia #birdsofig #pachycephala #wildlifeillustration #wildlifeillustration #wildlifeillustrator #wildlifeart #wildlifeartwork #wildlifeartists #wildlifeartistry #NatureArtAustralia #natureartist #natureartwork #naturearts #forestbirds taken in Australia by @lindarbester

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a year ago

Introducing a Tasmanian endemic species: Burnie Burrowing Crayfish, Engaeus yabbimunna.

Engaeus is an Australian genus with 36 known species: 14 of these are endemic to Tasmania and two occur in both Tasmania and Victoria.

This is a medium-sized burrowing crayfish, growing up to a max. of 10 cm long.

While most freshwater crayfish live in flowing water, burrowing crayfish prefer fern-dominated stream-side vegetation as well as farm dams, open and grassy sheep pasture, culverts, roadside seeps, and sedgey marsh.
Accordingly their tails are reduced, and their claws open vertically rather than horizontally to the body, which allows for larger claws in the confined spaces of their narrow tunnels.

This species is known from only nine locations within a c. 130 square km area, in and nearby the city of Burnie in north-west Tasmania. Virtually none of its existing habitat is protected by conservation reserves.

Their main threats involve human-based activities such as urban and agricultural pollution (including herbicides and pesticides), water diversion, forestry activities, road construction and mining, and high-intensity burning of streamside habitat.

Based on available data for disturbed and undisturbed sites, it is estimated that its population has declined 55 - 90% since European settlement and that there is a 10% probability of its extinction in the wild in the medium-term future. It has therefore been recommended for listing as Vulnerable under the EPBC Act.

Many thanks to Ryan Francis @ryanfrancisphotography who very kindly let me use his beautiful photo as a reference.

Completed 05th Oct 2025. Watercolour paints, Holbein gouach, and pro. grade coloured pencils.

#burnie #burnietasmania #burnieburrowingcrayfish #crayfish #crayfishofinstagram #burrowingcrayfish #tasmanian #northwesttassie #northwesttasmania #freshwatercrayfish #engaeus #Engaeusyabbimunna #threatenedspecies #wildlifeillustration #australianendemic #wildlifeillustrator #scientificillustration #ecologicalart #vulnerable #dnre #NRMCradleCoast #nrmnorth #threatened #threatenedwildlife #animalartist #animalartwork #conservationart #conservationartist #environmentalart #environmentalartist taken in Burnie, Tasmania by @lindarbester

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a year ago

Soooo, I just received the results email from the Royal Melbourne Show!

Red Kangaroo - Highly Commended (96/100). Ref. photo: Angus Emmott @noonbahstation

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo - Unplaced (92/100). Ref. photo: Mel @the_mindful_birder

White-backed Magpie - Very Highly Commended (97/100). Ref. photo: Stephen Parker @stephen_parker8746

Eastern Blue Groper - 1st place (100/100) - woohoo!!!! Ref. photo: Jakob de Zwart @jakobdezwart

All are on display @melbourneroyalshow in the Art and Craft section until Sunday 5th October. 😊🌷

If you're keen on buying any prints, cards or even originals, with Christmas not far off (eek!), I've listed the details of outlets in the second slide.

Thank you so much to everyone for your support. 💚💚💚💚

All of my artworks are completed using high quality coloured pencils, often with some Holbein gouache and/or Winsor and Newton watercolour paints on Canson Moulin du Roy 100% cotton, hot pressed 300 GSM paper. My frames are all purchased from the wonderful team at Frames Now Bayswater.

@holbein_australia @winsorandnewton @winsorandnewtonau
@cansonpaper @cansonusa

#royalmelbourneshow #melbourneroyalshow #plantcraftcottage #royalbotanicgardensvic #royalbotanicgardens #rbgmelbourne #BlueGroper #easternbluegroper #whitebackedmagpie #magpie #magpiebeauty #redkangaroo #wyreena #roundbird #wyreenacommunityartscentre #roundbirdartspace #bendigobank #bendigobankboronia #canson #cansonmoulinduroy #palomalanelightboxes #palomalane #knoxarts #knoxartsandevents #framesnow #wildlifeartist #wildlifeartistry #natureartaustralia #animalartist #wildlifeartists taken in Kilsyth, Victoria, Australia by @lindarbester

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a year ago

When I first started out illustrating in 2020, it wasn’t long before I illustrated a Helmeted Honeyeater (Lichenostomus melanops cassidix) - a Critically Endangered species which is the faunal emblem of Victoria, Australia.

The first one looked like it had accessed a 24 hour bird buffet, so I tried again. The second was much better, though as many other artists would relate, when your skills develop over time you get the urge to improve on earlier works. Well here it is - my new improved version - completed 18th September 2025 using a combination of high quality coloured pencils and watercolour paints on Canson Moulin du Roy 300 GSM, 100% cotton, hot pressed paper.

Thank you so very much @justin_cally for allowing me to reference your gorgeous photo of this species!

Multiple wild to semi-wild populations of Helmeted Honeyeaters are found in remnant streamside swap forest east of Melbourne, dominated by Manna Gums (Eucalyptus viminalis), Swamp Gums (Eucalyptus ovata) and Mountain Swamp Gums (Eucalyptus camphora). Understorey shrubs, such as Broom Tea-tree (Leptospermum scoparium), Scented Paperbark (Melaleuca squarrosa), Prickly Currant-bush (Coprosma quadrifida) and Woolly Tea-tree (Leptospermum lanigerum) provide nest sites for the Helmeted Honeyeater.

These birds feed on lerps, psyllids, manna, nectar, honeydew and eucalypt sap. They breed approx. early August to early March, usually raising two chicks, with young independent by 40 days. In the wild individuals live for around four years.

Check out all the wonderful conservation work that the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater Inc. are doing, over on their web page:
www.helmetedhoneyeater.org.au

#victoriaaustralia #friendsofthehelmetedhoneyeater #australianfauna #wildlifeart #wildart #helmetedhoneyeater #honeyeater #honeyeaters #birdartists #birdsofaustralia #birds🐦 #birds_of_instagram #birdartofinstagram #threatenedspecies #birdartwork #birdart #avianart #avian #victorian_birders #yarravalleyartist #yarravalley #yarraranges #lindarbester #wildlifeartist #wildlifeartwork #wildlifeartists #wildlifeillustration #wildlifeconservation #wildlifepainting #wildlifepaintings taken in Victoria, Australia by @lindarbester

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a year ago