You are currently browsing the monthly archive for October 2015.
by Deb Shaw
Icon for the “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” Symposium keynotes, available for free from iTunes U > The Huntington.
The keynote lectures from the “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” Symposium have been made available in audio format by The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens for free, via iTunes U > The Huntington. To listen, go to: https://itunes.apple.com/us/institution/the-huntington/id416672109. This link will take you to the iTunes U where you can hear all of the keynote talks from the symposium unedited, including:
- Jim Folsom’s opening remarks
- Dr. Jodie Holt, “Do you ‘see’ plants? Using Art and Technology to Teach Science”
- Mieko Ishikawa, “Painting the Wonder Plants of Borneo”
- Dr. Phillip Cribb, “The Art of Orchids”
- Dr. Alain Touwaide, “Plants, Artists, Languages: A Sense of Time and Places”
If you are having trouble connecting with the link above, go to The Huntington’s website, scroll down to the bottom of the page to the social media icons on the lower right side, and click on the iTunes U icon (the music notes). While there, take a look around at all of the free lectures offered by The Huntington.
The “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” Symposium was held this summer in conjunction with the southern California showing of Weird, Wild & Wonderful: The New York Botanical Garden Second Triennial Exhibition, Botanical Illustrations of Remarkable Plants, a traveling exhibition curated by the American Society of Botanical Artists.
Reposted in its entirety by Deb Shaw from an article from the Illustrators Partnership. The Illustrators Partnership has posted a request with the following article to “Please post or forward this artist alert to any interested party.”
From the Illustrators Partnership: Google Prevails in Copyright Lawsuit
Next Stop: Supreme Court
How will outcome affect artists?
October 16, 2015
Four years ago the Google Book Search Settlement was thrown out of court on the grounds that neither party to the agreement had legal standing to carve up the exclusive rights of the world’s authors. In his ruling, Judge Denny Chin wrote that it was for Congress, not the courts, to decide on the future of copyright law.
Since then, however, the courts have been chipping away at copyright, expanding the scope of what’s called “fair use,” that is, how much someone can use of your work without your permission.
Today an appeals court ruled in Google’s favor, according to an online article in Fortune.
“It’s finally over. An appeals court confirmed that Google’s scanning of more than 20 million books counts as fair use.
“It’s been ten years since authors first sued Google over the decision to scan millions of books, but now an appeals court appears to have confirmed once and for all the scanning did not violate copyright law.”
To be clear, this does NOT directly affect the new orphan works legislation currently being considered by Congress. But it’s a safe bet that corporation lobbyists will use it to argue that the decision paves the way for it:
“Friday’s appeals court ruling is significant because it clears the legal uncertainty that has been hanging over Google for a decade, and also because it provides more guidance on what qualifies as fair use in a digital age.
“In particular, the court states on several occasions how copyright law represents a balance between authors and the public, and points out how many forms of fair use are partly commercial.”
[Emphasis added.]
The Authors Guild has announced that it plans to appeal to the Supreme Court:
“We are disheartened that the court was unable to comprehend the grave impact that this decision, if left standing, could have on copyright incentives and, ultimately, our literary heritage. We trust that the Supreme Court will see fit to correct the Second Circuit’s reductive understanding of fair use, and to recognize Google’s seizure of property as a serious threat to writers and their livelihoods, one which will affect the depth, resilience and vitality of our intellectual culture.”
Thanks to all of you who wrote the Copyright Office this summer, and let’s all buckle our seat belts. We could be in for a bumpy ride.
Letters submitted by Illustrators Partnership and ASIP can be read on our Orphan Works Blog:
by Deb Shaw
Pincushion Protea, watercolor and colored pencil on paper, © 2015 Estelle DeRidder, all rights reserved.
The American Society of Botanical Artists and The Horticultural Society of New York announce the opening of the 18th Annual International at a new venue: the New York Design Center at a new venue. The ASBA’s longest-running collaboration, this prestigious exhibition will be held for the first time in mid-town Manhattan.
The opening reception will be on Wednesday, November 4, 2105 from 6 pm – 8 pm. Awards will be announced at 7 pm.
The evening’s events will begin with a book talk by author Amy Goldman at 5 pm. Limited seating is available. To attend Amy Goldman’s talk, an RSVP is required: scourtade@thehort.org. No RSVP is required to attend the opening reception.
As always, the catalog of the exhibition is available through ArtPlantae, starting November 4th.
BAGSC artists accepted into the exhibition include: Margaret Best, Melanie Campbell-Carter, Estelle DeRidder, Akiko Enokido, Asuka Hishiki, Joan Keesey, and Lesley Randall. Jurors for the exhibition were: Susan Fraser, Director, Mertz Library, The New York Botanical Garden; David Horak, Curator of Orchids and Aquatic House, Brooklyn Botanic Garden; Catherine Watters; Botanical Artist and ASBA Board Member.
The New York Design Center is located at: 200 Lexington Ave. New York 10016, (212) 679-9500.
by Clara Josephs, posted by Deb Shaw
Jim Henrich, Curator of Living Collections, Los Angeles Arboretum, lectures about their tree collection. Photo by Clara Josephs, © 2015, all rights reserved.
On Saturday October 11, 14 BAGSC members were treated to an hour and a half walking tour of a portion of the exquisite tree collection of the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. Our gracious guide, Jim Henrich, Curator of Living Collections, enthralled attendees with detailed descriptions of the life cycle and history of about 30 unique or rare trees in the Arboretum’s extensive collection.
The tree collection was begun in the 1950s, and includes some specimens that are grown outdoors in the US only at the Arboretum. BAGSC members used Jim’s handout of significant trees to take detailed notes and reminders about tree locations. After a great morning, the group enjoyed lunch on the patio of the Peacock Café.
Other Tree Walks are planned to help members prepare paintings for submission to the New York Botanic Garden’s Triennial, “Out of the Woods.” Read the call for entries on ASBA’s website.
A beautiful day at the Arboretum. Photo by Beth Stone, © 2015, all rights reserved.
by Estelle DeRidder, posted by Deb Shaw
Nevin’s Barberry with Bluebird, by Estelle DeRidder, © 2015, all rights reserved.
As an extension of the ‘Flashcard Project’ which was started through a grant from the ASBA to illustrate the plants of the Madrona Marsh in Torrance, California, Estelle DeRidder has illustrated twelve more species, which are now on exhibit.
The exhibit is open to the public until December 3, 2015, with an opening reception on Sunday, November 15 from 1:00 – 3:00pm. Dessert and coffee will be served.
The Madrona Marsh is located at 3201 Plaza Del Amo, Torrance, California 90503, (310-782-3989) and is open Tuesday through Thursday 10:00am – 5:00pm.
Congrats Estelle!
by Alyse Ochniak, posted by Deb Shaw
Jim Folsom lecturing during the “Weird, Wild & Wonderful Symposium.” Photo by Clara Josephs, © 2015, all rights reserved.
More looking forward to the next New York Botanical Garden Triennial, “Out of the Woods”:
Jim Folsom, Marge and Sherm Telleen Director of the Botanical Gardens, will be teaching two workshops about the structure of trees at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, on:
October 24, 2015 (limit 30 students) in the Brody Teaching Lab, from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm, and
January 17, 2016 (limit 20 students) in the Engemann Applied Tech Lab, from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Cost is $10.00 each session, payable at the workshop. Reservations are required, however; please RSVP to Alyse Ochniak. Reservations are first come, first served.
Come to one or both! Each session will be a 3-hour demonstration/workshop. Students will use dissection and compound microscopes to examine tree architecture, growth patterns, and structural characteristics using fresh and prepared material (provided by the Gardens). Discussion will include characteristics and terminology used to describe trees, and most useful in identification. Instruction will give particular attention to natural growth patterns and specific details of tree morphology and anatomy that would impact veracity of depiction.
Workshops only require pencil/pen and sketchbooks for taking notes, although artists are welcome to bring whatever materials they would like to use. Attendees are welcome to stay and draw in the Gardens after the class.
For more information about the New York Botanical Garden Triennial “Out of the Woods, Celebrating Trees in Public Places” visit the ASBA website.
The Huntington is located at: 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, California, 91108.
About the instructor:
Jim Folsom, PhD., rides the demographic peak of baby boomers, having been born in southeastern Alabama in 1950. His lifelong love of plants is reflected in a BS in Botany from Auburn University, an MA in Biology from Vanderbilt University, and a PhD in research botany from The University of Texas at Austin. Though his research has centered on the orchid family, with much of the research time spent in Tropical America (including a year in Colombia on a Fulbright Pre-Doctoral Fellowship), Jim’s botanical interests are wide-ranging. As Curator of the Botanical Gardens at The Huntington in San Marino, CA, he dedicates much of his effort to educational programs that increase public interest and understanding of the science, culture, and history of plants and gardens. He lives at The Huntington with his wife, Debra (also a botanist) and children Molly and Jimmy. Jim was recognized as a Friend of the Cactus and Succulent Society of America in 1996, a Member-at-Large of the Garden Club of America in 1998, and presented a Professional Citation by the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta in 1999. The Garden Club of America awarded him their Medal of Honor in 2007.
by Lori Vreeke, Melanie Campbell-Carter, Diane Daly, posted by Deb Shaw
Lori Vreeke at the “Zoo in Bloom” opening. Photo by Melanie Campbell-Carter, 2015. As Melanie stated, “She’s the little one :-)”
On Saturday, October 3, 2015, the BAGSC “Zoo in Bloom” exhibition opened at the Santa Barbara Zoo. It was a wonderful day and the exhibit received great reviews!
The Zoo reported there were approximately 600 visitors at the beginning of the day for the “Members Morning” and a total of 1,962 Zoo guests for the entire day!
More than 100 visitors voted for the Peoples’ Choice award at the BAGSC exhibition of nine artists, showing 22 artworks in a variety of media. Awards are as follows:
1st Choice: Asclepias fascicularis, Narrowleaf milkweed with
Danaus plexippus by Estelle DeRidder
2nd Choice: Strelitzia reginae, Bird of Paradise by Lori Vreeke
3rd Choice: Heteromeles arbutifolia, Toyon by Gilly Shaeffer
Artists helping throughout the day included: Lori Vreeke, Jan Clouse, Melanie Campbell-Carter, Gilly Shaffer, Barbara Janelle, and Diane Daly.
The show will hang in the Volentine Gallery in the Zoo’s Discovery Pavilion October 3, 2015 — January 3, 2016.
First place Peoples’ Choice award: Asclepias fascicularis, Narrowleaf milkweed with Danaus plexippus by Estelle DeRidder, © 2015, all rights reserved.
Second place Peoples’ Choice award, Strelitzia reginae, Bird of Paradise by Lori Vreeke, © 2015, all rights reserved.
Third place Peoples’ Choice award: Heteromeles arbutifolia, Toyon by Gilly Shaeffer, © 2015, all rights reserved.
Click on any of the circle images to see them large, with captions, in a slide show:
Gilly Shaeffer assisting exhibition visitors who are trying their hand at botanical art in watercolor. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015.
BAGSC member Melanie Campbell-Carter assists an exhibition visitor with a leaf rubbing. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015.
Diane Daly demonstrating botanical art with a fall squash. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015.
The Zoo bear sniffed each painting in the exhibition. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015.
BAGSC “Zoo in Bloom” exhibition in the Discovery Pavilion at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015.
BAGSC “Zoo in Bloom” exhibition in the Discovery Pavilion at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015.
BAGSC “Zoo in Bloom” exhibition in the Discovery Pavilion at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015.
BAGSC “Zoo in Bloom” exhibition in the Discovery Pavilion at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015.
BAGSC “Zoo in Bloom” exhibition in the Discovery Pavilion at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015.
BAGSC “Zoo in Bloom” exhibition in the Discovery Pavilion at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015.
BAGSC “Zoo in Bloom” exhibition in the Discovery Pavilion at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015.
by Lori Vreeke, posted by Deb Shaw
Hanging the “Zoo in Bloom” BAGSC exhibition at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015, all rights reserved.
I just wanted to share a few pictures from the Santa Barabara Zoo. The artwork was hung yesterday, and everything looks wonderful!
Please join us on Saturday, October 3 for the opening reception for the exhibition from 10 am – 2 pm. See the posting on the Zoo’s website. The Zoo has offered free entry to our members and families; please wear your BAGSC name badge if you have one, and contact Lori Vreeke for information about free entry.
Hanging the “Zoo in Bloom” BAGSC exhibition at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015, all rights reserved.
The Zoo is anticipating 600 – 800 members in the morning on Saturday. BAGSC artists will be demonstrating throughout the day, and there will be BAGSC-led activities for kids and families. BAGSC volunteers and demonstrators are welcome!! There are still a few volunteer slots available, and the more volunteers available for BAGSC public activities the merrier. Please contact Lori Vreeke to let her if you would like to volunteer for an hour or so, and please bring any extra paper, colored pencils and pencils to share.
Hanging the “Zoo in Bloom” BAGSC exhibition at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015, all rights reserved.
Bring a lunch, or enjoy the café right outside the exhibition hall for a beautiful day in a beautiful setting.
The show will hang in the Volentine Gallery in the Zoo’s Discovery Pavilion October 3—January 3. The Santa Barbara Zoo is located at: 500 Ninos Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93103.
(805) 962-5339 main; (805) 962-6310 info line
Looking forward to the exhibit, and hope to see you there!
Hanging the “Zoo in Bloom” BAGSC exhibition at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Photo by Lori Vreeke, © 2015, all rights reserved.
by Nancy Grubb/Deb Shaw
Hibiscus, colored pencil on paper by Nancy Grubb, © 2015, all rights reserved.
BAGSC member Nancy Grubb was juried into the Creative Arts Group in Sierra Madre, CA last week. She has been invited to exhibit approximately 12 paintings in their Spring Show, which hangs from early March to mid May, 2016. She is excited and honored to show her work in their prestigious gallery.
Details about the Spring Show and artists’ reception will be posted to the blog as soon as they are announced. Information will also be posted on the Creative Arts Group website as soon as it is available.
The Creative Arts Group is located at:
108 N. Baldwin Avenue, Sierra Madre, CA 91024
(626) 355-8350
info@creativeartsgroup.org
Congrats Nancy!
Sunflower, colored pencil and watercolor, Nancy Grubb, © 2015, all rights reserved.
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