Philippa Nikulinsky Australia, 1942-.

Philippa Nikulinsky was born in Kalgoorlie western Australia in 1942. She commenced her career as an illustrator of natural history in the mid-1970s, fulfilling a lifetime fascination with the flora and fauna of the arid lands of Western Australia. A watercolourist, she has travelled throughout the state of Western Australia to record and paint its flora. Her illustrations have been included in many books, scientific journals and magazines and her work has featured on the cover of Curtis, the magazine produced by the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, England. She is the author or co-author of books on plants, animals, and their environment. From 1990 to 2006 Philippa painted the cover illustration of the quarterly magazine ‘Landscope’ for the Western Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management. From 1995 to 2005 Philippa was commissioned to design and paint Australian plants and animals for use on dinnerware produced by Australian Fine China. Philippa was awarded Member (AM) in the 2016 general division of the Order of Australia, "for significant service to the visual arts as a botanical painter and illustrator, to professional associations, and as an author." In her survey exhibition, Nikulinsky Naturally, was held at the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, University of Western Australia and over 28,000 visitors were recorded. Philippa Nikulinsky was also awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Western Australia, and delivered a graduate address in mid-2019.

The total number of works by Philippa Nikulinsky offered for sale by auction since 2002 is 34, of which 27 (79%) were sold. The highest price recorded for the artist is $3,191 for Banksia Littoralis, 2002; Hakea Nitida, 2004 (2) sold by Lawsons in June 2020. No works have been offered for sale this year, and the last sale we have recorded for the artist was in 2023.