LSU Libraries Special Collections has internationally renowned artist Margaret Stones’ work displayed in Hill Memorial Library.

Australian native Margaret Stones was born in 1920 and is known as one the finest botanic artist of the 20th century. Her watercolor works of different plants around her caught the eye of LSU in the 1970s. After her original 6 works of the Louisiana native flora, the commission ordered an additional 200. 

“Louisiana absolutely loved her, she loved Louisiana, and she even called it ‘my Louisiana,’” said Exhibitions Coordinator for Special Collections Leah Jewett. 

The exhibition in Hill Memorial Library includes roughly 20 of the 224 Louisiana flora Stones painted, the Louisiana flora project, some working drawings, books that were published with all of Stones’ work and some work she did earlier in her life. She collaborated with LSU through the 20th century and this exhibit was finished in February of 2020 to celebrate what would have been her 100th birthday.

Before Stones arrived at the University, she worked for many years in the Royal Botanic Garden in London and her work was reproduced in the widely respected Curtis’ Botanical Magazine. She received the Royal Horticultural Society Veitch Silver Memorial Medal, the Veitch Gold Memorial Medal and Garden Club of America’s prestigious Eloise Payne Luquer Medal during her career. 

Her research of plants led her to discover a new genus of a plant, which Sir George Taylor named after her. The project was privately funded by people of various professions from all over the state, and many of these people ventured into the swamp to locate specimens Stones could work with.

Stones’ Louisiana flora art was originally a part of a larger special project honoring the nation’s bicentennial and the 50th anniversary of LSU being on this campus. Once then-chancellor Paul Mural realized how much potential the project had, he expanded her work. 

Head of Instructional Services in Special Collections John Miles attributed Stones’ inspiration to John James Audubon in the 19th century. Visitors can view some of his work in Stones’ exhibit as well. 

“To hear someone with a national reputation so proud of her association with LSU and Louisiana is a really good feeling,” Jewett said.