In an effort to bring the worlds of art, nature and science closer together, Masterworks is staging an exhibition of the original artwork for Christine Watlington's "Bermuda's Botanical Wonderland: A Field Guide,'' which was published last year.

"Christine spent years researching the material that has gone into her book,'' says Masterworks' Elise Outerbridge.

"It is perhaps unique in that all the plants are scientifically correct but presented in an artistic idiom. We thought it would be wonderful if this collection of about 42 plates could be purchased and retained in one piece and, hopefully, retained in an archival state with an organisation such as Masterworks, or the National Archives.

"As watercolours, they are delicate and need to be in a climate-controlled atmosphere.'' The artist, who spent around 20 years researching, collecting and recording Bermuda's flora, feels the collection is of special interest as it represents the Island as it is today.

"Bermuda has been damaged by over-development, of course, but this body of work is a kind of `botanical time capsule' of Bermuda as it was in the 1990s.

"We have to remember that although Beermuda is home to well over 250,000 plant species, only 17 endemic plants are left.

"This is a scary thought -- and yet we are still allowing the very small amount of wild land we now have left, to be destroyed!'' Mrs. Outerbridge believes distinctions between art, science, and ecology is merging. "We have to remember that our collection was formed partly to collect the work of artists who had painted Bermuda.

Many of them came here as early tourists at the turn of the century -- and the reason they came here was because of the natural beauty of the Island. You could say that the only natural culture we have is our environment -- that's the only thing we have, this incredible beauty -- and we must protect what brought those early visitors here in the first place.'' Noting that Christine Watlington's book has been very popular with tourists as well as locals, she adds, "It highlights Bermuda's dependence on natural beauty which has tended to be taken for granted.

"But when they see our old pictures of Bermuda they often ask `Why doesn't it look like that anymore?' This,'' she adds, "is a very timely question in the light of the fact that yet another, last remaining piece of woodland at Vesey Street is now in danger of being destroyed -- thanks to the Minister of the Environment, John Irving Pearman, who is taking it upon himself to reverse laws that were passed to prevent such things happening!'' The artist is pleased with the response of children to her book. "I think that Bermudian children are very, very aware of their country's natural environment,'' she says.

"They study our plants, animal and marine life -- there is a much higher awareness in schools today and young people seem to be grasping that it's up to them to protect what we have, both for now and for the future.

"Children in school -- thanks, in part, to programmes such as those run by the Aquarium and Learning Through Landscapes -- are not only growing and caring for plants, but writing about nature, painting it, singing about it.'' With her book being reviewed by several international conservation and environmental organisations, Christine Watlington says it was "significant'' that several scientists expressed concern in their reviews about the damaged oceanic flora of Bermuda.

"I believe that all of us have to understand the preservation of Bermuda's unique beauty is vital to the economic future of the Island. It seems ironic that as we are systematically destroying so much of what made people want to come here in the first place, other countries who are our tourist competitors, are pushing cultural and ecotourism for all they're worth! "I think it's interesting,'' she adds, "that places like Dominica, for instance, are advertising their beaches and natural beauties. Now Bermuda, for some unaccountable reason, seems to ignore the Island's amazing, natural beauty in its advertising. So what do we end up with? Pictures of things like buses, hotels, post-boxes and bicycles!'' Christine Watlington's Island Botanicals go on show to the public at the Materworks Gallery, Bermuda House Lane, Hamilton, from November 8, with a Preview this Friday, November 7, from 5.30 to 7 p.m.

A HOME IN SOMERSET -- A wooden cottage, surrounded by grasses and Bermuda's national flower -- the Bermudiana -- is one of the watercolours featured in Christine Watlington's book, `Bermuda's Botanical Wonderland.' The original artwork for the book will open for exhibit at Masterworks Gallery this weekend.