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by Tania Norris, posted by Deb Shaw

Akiko Enokido, Chrysanthemum morifolium "Kokka Seija

Akiko Enokido, Chrysanthemum morifolium “Kokka Seija”
© 2013
Watercolor, 11″ x 16″

Akiko Enokido is a long time member of the Botanical Artists organizations in America and Japan and has been accepted in major exhibitions. Her beautifully rendered paintings are known for their exquisite color, detailing and composition and are prized by their owners. Akiko has shown her work in the United States and Japan, including the ASBA/Horticultural Society of New York exhibitions, and the 13th Annual Exhibition of Botanical Art and Illustration from the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation.

In Akikoʼs words her class:

“will observe the shapes and shadows of leaves. You may be surprised to realize how often you are drawing from your own assumptions and not from how the object is actually expressing itself. I will demonstrate the approach of placing multiple layers of color, putting emphasis on capturing reflection of light and to show depth of the objectʼs dimensions.”

Classes will be held at Virginia Robinson Gardens, August 5, 6, and 7, 2013,  from 9.30 am – 3.30 pm daily.  A supplies list will be sent to all participants.

Coffee, tea and water will be provided, but please bring your own lunch. Fees for the three day session will be $375. for members and $450. for non-members. A deposit of $100. to hold space can be accepted but is non-refundable. Full payment must be made by August 1, 2013.

To make reservations, visit the Virginia Robinson Gardens website, or call (310) 550-2068.

Mail check to:
Friends of Robinson Gardens
1008 Elden Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

If you have any questions, please contact Tania Norris.

Variegated Camellia, by Akiko Enokido

Camellia japonica ‘Chandleri Elegans’, Variegated Camellia, by Akiko Enokido, watercolor on vellum, © 2012, all rights reserved.

by Deb Shaw

Coast Live Oak, Quercus agrifolia, Jan Clouse, © 2013, all rights reserved.

Coast Live Oak, Quercus agrifolia, Jan Clouse, © 2013, all rights reserved.

 

BAGSC member Jan Clouse has had two paintings accepted into the Palm Loft Gallery open invitation juried show, “Make Hay While the Sun Shines.”

The exhibition runs from June 22 through August 11, 2013. The Palm Loft Gallery focuses on original works of art by established and emerging artists, and is located at 410 Palm Avenue, Loft A-1, Carpinteria, California, 93013. The Gallery is open Friday to Sunday, 11 to 6, also by appointment by calling (805) 684-9700.

Rose Hips, Jan Clouse, © 2013, all rights reserved.

Rose Hips, Jan Clouse, © 2013, all rights reserved.

by Joan Keesey

Common Poppy, photo by John Keesey, © 2013

Common Poppy, photo by John Keesey, © 2013

Consider the “campi fiori,”
Arrayed in their natural glory.
Their existence is brief
Unless an artistic thief
Memorializes their story.

John Keesey, June 2013

Preci, Umbria, photo by John Keesey, © 2013

Preci, Umbria, photo by John Keesey, © 2013

 

John and I just returned from Umbria, Italy, where I took Elaine Searle’s Botanical Art Class. We stayed for eight days at a resort, Il Collaccio, in the mountains near the walled hill town of Preci and adjacent to the Monti Sibillini National Park. The views of the mountains and valleys were beautiful; the fields were filled with wildflowers: red poppies, small wild orchids, fringed hyacinths, buttercups, and many flowers that I had never seen before.

The Studio, photo J. Keesey, © 2013

The Studio, photo J. Keesey, © 2013

We were a group of 13 including Elaine: four Americans including Deborah Friedman and myself from BAGSC, six women from Britain, three ladies from Finland, Japan, and Trinidad respectively. We stayed in a lovely stone building in which the studio was also located.  Il Collaccio provided all of our meals. They were very good, especially the lunches which were interesting, varied and served outside if the weather permitted.

Lunch at Il Collaccio, photo by J. Keesey, © 2013

Lunch at Il Collaccio, photo by J. Keesey, © 2013

There was no assigned subject. We could paint wildflowers, vegetables from the local market, or roses growing on the wall of our building. I chose to paint the poppies and a small orchid called the Bee Orchid.

Elaine gave a demonstration every morning on one of the selected subjects. We worked from 9:30 am until 1:00 pm when lunch was served. After lunch Elaine was available in the studio if we wished to continue painting, or we could take the afternoon off for a hike in the hills or a visit to one of the many Umbrian hill towns.

On one of the days we had a group outing to Spello, another beautiful walled town, and Fabriano where we were given a tour of the Fabriano Museum. Fabriano not only makes high quality art paper, they also make the paper for the Euro. We were shown how paper was originally made by hand in the 16th century and their extensive collection of watermarks. At the end of the tour we all made a piece of paper.

Making Paper at the Fabriano Museum, photo by J. Keesey, © 2013

Making Paper at the Fabriano Museum, photo by J. Keesey, © 2013

It was a great trip—an opportunity to see a really beautiful part of Italy, to meet new and interesting people, and to concentrate on drawing and painting without the many distractions and obligations of daily life.

Bee Orchid, Ophrys apifera, watercolor by Joan Keesey, © 2013, all rights reserved.

Bee Orchid, Ophrys apifera, watercolor by Joan Keesey, © 2013, all rights reserved.

Common Poppy, Papaver rhoras, watercolor by Joan Keesey, © 2013, all rights reserved.

Common Poppy, Papaver rhoras, watercolor by Joan Keesey, © 2013, all rights reserved.

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