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by Deb Shaw

Joan Keesey, Heteromeles arbutifolia, California Holly, Watercolor on Paper. © 2013, all rights reserved.
The 17th Annual International American Society of Botanical Artists opened on September 17, 2014 at The Horticultural Society of New York. The exhibition will run from September 17 – November 26, 2014.
Jurors Patricia Jonas, Marco Polo Stufano, and Catherine Watters selected 42 artworks out of 215 submissions from around the world. The exhibition includes works by artists from the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Israel, Japan, and the United Kingdom. BAGSC members Joan Keesey, Lesley Randall, and Deborah Shaw have artwork in the exhibition. A full-color catalog with all of the artwork is available at ArtPlantae for $20, plus shipping.

Lesley Randall, Ma’o hau hele, Hibiscus brackenridgei, pen and ink on board. © 2014, all rights reserved.
The ASBA has posted the artwork and the artists’ stories behind each piece. Click on the artists’ names in this posting and on the ASBA website to see the artwork and read the artists’ stories.
Congratulations to all of the artists in the exhibition and to the following artists who received awards at the opening reception:
The Horticultural Society of New York Best in Show: Annie Patterson
Eleanor Wunderlich Award for Excellence: milly acharya (Purple Passionflower)
Helen Gray Garber Award: Constance Scanlon
Susan Frei Nathan Fine Works on Paper, LLC Award: Asuka Hishiki
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Award for Drawing & Prints: Lesley Randall
Honorable Mentions: Ingrid Finnan (Yellow Dahlia), Haruyo Kawashima, Carrie DiConstanzo, and Tomoko Ogawa

Deborah B. Shaw, Cucurbita maxima, Buttercup Squashes and Section, watercolor on paper. © 2013, all rights reserved.
Botanical art workshops are being held in conjunction with the exhibition, and a “Last Look” reception with featured artists and jurors will be held on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 from 6-8 pm.
The Hort is free and open to the public Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. For further information, please contact Chris Murtha at The Hort, 212-757-0915 (x121) or cmurtha@thehort.org, or Carol Woodin, Director of Exhibitions, ASBA, exhibitions@asba-art.org, 866-691-9080.
by Quench Travel, posted by Deb Shaw
Quench has put together a new eight-night botanical painting workshop with Margaret Best in Puglia, April 12 – 20, 2015.
Puglia is absolutely dreamy, in part because somehow it remains relatively undiscovered. Its staggeringly rugged coastline stretches along the Adriatic Sea with deserted beaches, rocky coves and crystal water. White-washed towns dot the shores with a smattering of colourful marinas and the bustle of fishing boat traffic. The landscape rolls up from the water in waves of green; centuries-old olive groves as far as the eye can see are interrupted occasionally by world-class vineyards and in April, a blanket of poppies. Flowering fruit and almond trees scent the air with a heavenly aroma. Join renowned artist and teacher Margaret Best here in this idyllic setting for an 8-day Botanical Painting Workshop. Under her expert guidance you can make meticulous study the local flora, spending your days painting in the airy garden studio that overlooks the sea. Visit the nearby Baroque towns and feel a part of this warm and welcoming Puglian culture.
An overview of the itinerary:
April 12: Arrive into Monopoli and check-in at Palazzo Indelli in the historical centre. Welcome cocktail and dinner in the evening.
April 13: Morning visit to the Botanical Gardens in Monopoli with picnic lunch. Transfer to Masseria Montenapoleone and explore gardens. Afternoon to pick your specimen and set up in studio. Welcome dinner at the Masseria.
April 14: Full day in studio. Light lunch in studio. Return shuttle to Polignano a Mare for dinner at leisure.
April 15: Full day in studio. Light lunch in studio. Return shuttle to Ostuni for dinner at leisure.
April 16: Morning visit to the private Giardini Pomona with the owner. Lunch at leisure in Locorotondo followed by a half day in studio. Dinner at the Masseria.
April 17: Explore the local markets before visiting a local home and enjoying a Cooking class and lunch. Return for studio time in the afternoon. Dinner independently at Masseria.
April 18: Full day in studio. Light lunch in studio. Return shuttle to Cisternino for dinner at leisure.
April 19: Full day in studio. Light lunch in studio. Gala evening exhibition with buffet meal.
April 20: Independent departures.
Costs start from €3,555. There is an early booking discount of €125 for bookings confirmed before October 10, 2014.
Margaret Best is an internationally recognized botanical artist and teacher offering tuition in graphite, colour pencil and watercolour. She has taught workshops to all levels of experience from rank beginners, intermediates to advanced levels in Canada, UK, Italy, USA and Bermuda. These workshop venues include respected botanical gardens and institutions such as Huntington Gardens, Pasadena; Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens; San Diego Natural History Museum; Filoli near San Francisco; Dow Learning Center in Zoo Conservatory, Calgary; Bermuda Art Center, Hamilton Bermuda. Margaret’s watercolours have been widely exhibited – New York; Weisman Museum, Minneapolis; Hunt institute of Botanical Documentation, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh; Los Angeles, Denver, Bermuda, Toronto, San Francisco and her work is found in numerous private and corporate collections around the globe. Margaret has designed six coins with botanical themes for the Royal Canadian Mint, with 2 to be released in 2015. For the past 6 years Margaret has painted regularly with her mentor Pandora Sellars who is widely regarded by experts as the leading contemporary botanical artist of our time. A professionally qualified art teacher, Margaret is known for her nurturing style and her ability to readily identify student skill level in order to steer advancement.
Download the PDF flyer Quench_Itinerary_Puglia to read more about the trip, or contact Quench at 416.366.2777 or email tripdesign@quenchtravel.com.
By Arillyn Moran-Lawrence, posted by Deb Shaw
BAGSC member Arilyn Moran-Lawrence’s pen and ink drawing titled “Elegant Syrah” has been juried into the Lloyd Library and Museum fall exhibition. The Lloyd Library and Museum is one of the premier botanical libraries in the United States. The exhibition is titled “If Wine is Sublime.” The show runs from September 13, 2014 to December 12, 2014.
Can’t make it to the show? View the artworks online. The exhibition includes works in diverse media, including watercolor, oil, hand-woven tapestries, video, lithography and cast aluminum tile. Many of the participants are ASBA members.
The Lloyd Library and Museum is located at: 917 Plum Street, Cincinnati OH 45202. If you would like further information about the Lloyd Library and Museum, please contact Anna Heran, Exhibit Curator, 513 721 3707, or curator@lloydlibrary.org.
Congrats Arillyn!