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by Gayle Uyehara, posted by Deb Shaw
Carol Govan delivered a fast-paced, exciting lecture about botany. Photo by Gayle Uyehara.
Carol Govan’s Thursday “Wow, Botany Is Exciting” workshop really was that, WOW!
Carol contacted the class participants a few weeks earlier and sent us a very informative email and handout with all the technical terms we would learn so we wouldn’t have to stop and look them up during class. She also told us to relax but hang on tight because the workshop was structured from her 8-week course at Wellesley College Botanic Gardens. In three hours we learned the parts of a plant and their function in a humorous, informative manner that only Carol can deliver.
After we learned the names of the plant parts, we quickly sketched the specimen before us and labeled them. “Quick” being the emphasis and it was amazing how many things we had captured in our short observation. What a treat this class was!
Learning the plant parts. Photo by Gayle Uyehara.
Carol’s botany workshop built on this newbie’s vocabulary in a manner that will allow me to pick up a book and know what to look for in the field. She pointed out several older reference books because of their descriptive words of the plant rather than their non-visual clues like DNA and chemical properties.
Toward the end of class, Carol demonstrated how she uses sketch paper, hard pencil and grid frame to capture a quick but accurate gesture composition of a plant; keeping in mind the negative spaces she creates. The grid was only a few marks on paper and frame but gave her a visual clue about placement on the paper. From there she does a quick contour drawing which she will work with the rest of the time—while making any corrections to her gesture drawing. The color she adds as part of her sketch is made from a three-color palette made up of the primaries. She mixes up her watercolor swatch on a white plate to include the shadow and highlights.
Carol finished up this delightful workshop by telling us how she uses her sketches to create a composition and showed us examples of her finished pieces.
Let me mention again what a treat this class was!
I am sure that I will think of her many times as I continue on my botanical art journey. Thank you Carol!
by Beth Stone, posted by Deb Shaw
Laurence Pierson demonstrating her beautiful egg tempera technique. The camera/light in the foreground is the one mentioned in the article. Photo by Beth Stone.
At the Denver Botanic Gardens, Laurence Pierson demonstrated egg tempera on gesso panel. She mixes dry pigment with water using a colour shaper, adds a bit of alcohol if the particular pigment requires it to dissolve, and mixes in a bit of egg yolk.
Laurence’s background is in painting icons, typically on wood panel prepared with gesso and often including gold leaf. She applies her skill with tempera to botanical subjects with beautiful results!
The camera used in this photo seemed particularly effective for teaching, see the Ladibug DC192 on http://www.lumens.com.tw/product_1.php?big_id=1
Ladibug lamp detail. Photo by Beth Stone.
Iris painting in egg tempera by Laurence Peirson. Photo by Beth Stone.
Laurence Pierson’s palette looks like a jewel box. Photo by Beth Stone.
Laurence Peirson mixing egg tempera. Photo by Beth Stone.
by Deb Shaw
Some of our BAGSC members are lucky to stay for the post-conference workshops, but many of the rest of us have gotten home. We had a great response to our “Live from the Conference” postings; many sent emails letting us know how much they enjoyed the posts. I’m sorry I was struggling with a technology meltdown and couldn’t get all of them up sooner. I believe I now have the technology (mostly) behaving, and will get things posted as quickly as possible.
![[Brush holder] The Rocky Mountain Chapter made (yes, HANDMADE) pine brush holders for each of the conference attendees. Photo is of my new brush holder, happily ensconced in its new home on my work table. Photo by Deb Shaw.](https://dbshaw.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/brushholderfront.jpg)
[Brush holder] The Rocky Mountain Chapter made (yes, HANDMADE) pine brush holders for each of the conference attendees. Photo is of my new brush holder, happily ensconced in its new home on my work table. Photo by Deb Shaw.
Thank you to the Rocky Mountain Society of Botanical Artists and ASBA for all your hard work. And thank you to the roving BAGSC reporters who sent in stories and photos. If you have any more, keep ’em coming and I’ll get them posted. For readers; lots more to come.
See you next year at the Weird, Wild & Wonderful Symposium at the Huntington in the Summer, and at the ASBA Annual Meeting and Conference in Miami in October.
Happy painting!
![[Brush holder back] Susan Fisher explained that the wood came from pine trees harvested after being killed by Mountain Pine Beetles (Dendroctonus ponderosae), native to the forests of western North America. The blue color of the wood is the result of staining from the beetle infestation. Libby Kyer designed the logo on the back, which was also on the water bottles donated by Libby and her husband. Photo by Deb Shaw.](https://dbshaw.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/brushholderback.jpg)
[Brush holder back] Susan Fisher explained that the wood came from pine trees harvested after being killed by Mountain Pine Beetles (Dendroctonus ponderosae), native to the forests of western North America. The blue color of the wood is the result of staining from the beetle infestation. Libby Kyer designed the logo on the back, which was also on the water bottles donated by Libby and her husband. Photo by Deb Shaw.
by Deb Shaw
Tania Marien’s James White Award
The ASBA announced their annual awards last night at the closing banquet. Tania Marien was presented with the James White Service Award for her dedication to botanical art, in recognition of her distinguished support of botanical art.
Lesley Randall’s ASBA Award for Scientific Botanical Illustration
Lesley Randall was presented with the ASBA Scientific Illustrator Award for Excellence in Scientific Botanical Art, in recognition of her outstanding achievements as a scientific illustrator.
George Olsen was presented with the ASBA Diane Bouchier Artist Award for Excellence in Botanical Art, in recognition of his outstanding acheivements as a botanical artist.
Unfortunately, the three award winners were not present to receive their awards in person. When Tania and Lesley’s names were announced, however, the BAGSC table cheered loud enought to hear back in Southern California. Congratulations to the award winners for richly deserved recognition!!
BAGSC News 