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by Deb Shaw

The American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) has announced the selected artists for Botanical Art Worldwide: America’s Flora, a groundbreaking collaboration between botanical artists, organizations, and institutions around the world.

This worldwide exhibition and its events will call attention to the importance of conserving our planet’s botanical diversity. Each participating country will provide digital slide shows of up to forty works, to be compiled with all other countries’ images and shown at each venues during the run of each exhibition. Opening events, lectures, demonstrations, webinars, workshops and other events will be held (with some shared online), so visitors can learn more about contemporary botanical art and the earth’s floristic regions and botanical wealth.

For the US exhibition, the jurors were: Susan T. Fisher, Botanical Artist and Educator; Patricia Jonas, Author and Editor; William McLaughlin, Plant Curator, US Botanic Garden; and, Susan Pell, Ph.D, Science and Public Programs Manager, US Botanic Garden. The jurors selected 46 artworks from more than 200 submissions, including artwork by BAGSC members Mitsuko Schultz, Gilly Shaeffer, and Deborah Shaw. A complete list of artists can be seen on the ASBA website. All artworks feature native plants of the US, and images will be available on the ASBA website once the exhibition opens.

The ASBA, in collaboration with the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., will present the juried exhibition of plants from around the United States, staged in the U.S. Botanic Garden’s gallery space. After remaining on view at the U.S. Botanic Garden through October 2018, the exhibition will then travel through the end of 2019. Similar exhibitions will be held in more than twenty other countries.

A Worldwide Day of Botanical Art will be held on May 18, 2018, with events held for 24 hours, following the sun from venue to venue.

Participating countries include: Australia, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada,  China, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Scotland, South Africa, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Several other countries are in the planning stages and will be announced.

Some goals of the exhibition include:

  • Presenting a unified message about the ability to link people with plants through botanical art.
  • Acknowledging and building upon the increasing connections between botanical artists worldwide.
  • Increasing appreciation and understanding of the world’s plant diversity and its interconnectedness.
  • Raising awareness about the worldwide movement in botanical art.
  • To engage in a project to document some of the wild plant species of the world.

Click here for Botanical Art Worldwide Exhibition Info and Participating Countries  Be sure to return to the ASBA website to see updates about the artists and the exhibitions.

Congrats to all the participating artists, organizations, and institutions from around the world!

Click any of the images below to see an enlarged image with artwork information.

from the Los Angeles County Arboretum Education Dept., posted by Deb Shaw

Cristina Baltayian will resume classes in botanical art starting in January, 2108. These classes will be exploring color pencil, graphite, pen and ink, and watercolor on various papers, vellum and other surfaces. The emphasis will be on plant observation, drawing, composition, color theory and matching, and medium techniques.

Four (4) Tuesdays per session per month                                                                        
10:00am-2:00pm (including lunch break) / Oak Room

January            9, 16, 23, 30
February          6, 13, 20, 27
March             6, 13, 20, 27
April                3, 10, 17, 24
May                 1, 8, 15, 22
June                 5, 12, 19, 26

$275 Arboretum members per month / $295 non-members per month (includes Arboretum Admission)

To Register please call the Education Department at 626.821.4623.

The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden is located at 301 North Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007.

by Kat Powell and Deb Shaw

The year 2017 isn’t over just yet, which means there is still time to join the copyright community in asking your Congressional Representative to cosponsor H.R. 3945, the CASE Act of 2017. This bipartisan bill (how rare is THAT these days!!) was introduced on October 4, 2017 by Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Tom Marino (R-PA),  Doug Collins (R-GA), Lamar Smith (R-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), and Ted Lieu (D-CA). H.R. 3945 will create a Copyright Claims Board, which, similar to Small Claims Court, will provide a simple, quick and less expensive forum for copyright owners (we artists!) to enforce our copyrights.

For many botanical artists, artists, photographers, illustrators, authors, songwriters, filmmakers and other creators who own copyrighted works, enforcing our rights is simply not feasible. Litigation is expensive and, even when it’s undeniable that our copyrights have been violated, frequently, we simply can’t afford to go to court. In effect, the U.S. copyright system currently provides creators with rights but no effective remedies.

The majority of  copyright owners that are affected by piracy and theft are independent creators with small copyright infringement claims. The CCB will establish an alternative forum to the Federal District Court for copyright owners to protect their work from infringement.

It’s important that Congress hear from creators like us on the importance of protecting our rights and creating a small claims court.

The Copyright Alliance has made it easy to contact your Representative  to ask him/her to support H.R. 3945 by asking them to cosponsor the bill. The Copyright Alliance has a quick and easy tool on their website to help you find all of your Representatives. They also have provided a sample letter you can email or send, but it is easy to modify it or use your own if you prefer. The important thing is to let your voice be heard on this critical issue.

To send your letter, please click here.

Information about H.R.3945, and links that answer questions can be found here. You can join the Copyright Alliance—it’s free, and they do not sell or give away members’ information.

 

by Gilly Shaeffer, posted by Deb Shaw

The Califfornia Native Plant Society (CNPS) 2018 Conservation Conference will take place February 1 – 3, 2018 at the LAX Marriott in Los Angeles. This event, which takes place once every three years, is an important opportunity to bring together the best minds in the field to share research, gather inspiration, and collaborate on new ways to protect California’s precious natural resources.

This year, CNPS expects more than 1,000 attendees, including consulting biologists, agency staff, researchers, students, conservationists, and environmental professionals. The Conference will feature inspiring keynote speakers, two days of pre-conference workshops and field trips, more than 300 presenters across 24 sessions, a special student session, networking events, and art, poetry, music and photography exhibits!

To attend the conference and see the exhibits, register online by January 14.

BAGSC members in the CNPS exhibition include:
Ellie  Yun-Hui Tu
Kim Garrison Means
Nina  Antze
Donald  Davidson
Estelle DeRidder
Susan Jackson
Joan Keesey
Lee McCaffree
Olga Ryabtsova
Mitsuko Schultz
Gilly Shaeffer
Janice Sharp
Deborah Shaw
Jude Wiesenfeld

Additional artists include:
Aaron  Arthur
Marie Brennan
Valerie Cohen
Erica Cordero
Tamren  Dong
Justina Freel
Maria Cecilia Freeman
Lesley Goren
Nicole  Hempel
Erin E. Hunter
Asisa Madian
Mark  Nunez
Melissa Orozco
Patricia M. Palavecino
Rita Sabbagh
Diego Tamayo
Cara Wilco

Additionally, BAGSC Members Olga Ryabtsova and Gilly Shaeffer will be teaching two botanical art workshops, open to conference attendees and the public. Read more about the workshops in a previous story on the blog.

Congratulations to all the participating artists!

by Jude Wiesenfeld, posted by Deb Shaw

If you were looking forward to taking botanical art classes in 2018, here is the preliminary line up:

Denise Walser-KolarRoots and Leaves on Vellum or Watercolor Paper
February 7 – 9, 2018
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
$300 members/$350 non-members
 
Carrie DiCostanzo, Introduction to Creating Botanical Paintings with Impact using Gouache
Dates to be decided: April 11 –13 OR April 18 – 20, 2018
Location to be decided   
$300 members/$350 non-members
Lesley RandallPen and Ink Drawing of the Aristolochiaceae including a Botanical Talk
May 10 – 12, 2018
Oak Room, Los Angeles County Arboretum 
$300 members/$350 non-members
 
Robert McNeil, subject to be announced
October 3 – 5, 2018
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
$300 members/$350 non-members
The workshops above have been posted on the BAGSC website under ‘Classes’; and on the calendar on the BAGSC ‘Members Only’ website page. Stay tuned for more information on the website, on this blog, and in email blasts to BAGSC members. Additional workshops, lectures, field trips and meeting programs will be announced soon.

by Deb Shaw

The Third New York Botanical Garden Triennial, Out of the Woods: Celebrating Trees in Public Gardens is on display at the The New York Botanical Garden, in Bronx, New York from November 18, 2017 – April 22, 2018. Information about the exhibition, including images of all the artworks is on the ASBA website.

Forty-four artworks were selected from more than two hundred submissions, depicting one of the planet’s most important and beautiful resources: trees. Each of these subjects have been found in botanical gardens and arboreta throughout the United States and around the world.

Artists have been working on this project for the past three years, not only capturing images of trees, but also drawing attention to the institutions that shelter them: botanical gardens and arboreta. A central goal of the exhibition is to highlight the role of botanical gardens and arboreta in the research/scholarship they provide, as well as their education and outreach to the public.

The artists respond aesthetically to these inspiring subjects, and have depicted everything from seedpods to branches and bark to an entire forest floor. Each artist has written a statement about their artwork; artists’ statements can be read on the ASBA website.

Jurors for the exhibition were:

  • Joanna Groarke, Director of Public Engagement and Library Exhibitions Curator, The New York Botanical Garden
  • Todd Forrest, Arthur Ross VP for Horticulture and Living Collections, The New York Botanical Garden
  • Robin A. Jess, Past Executive Director, ASBA
  • Barbara Macklowe, Photographer, former Principal, Macklowe Gallery

Congratulations go to all artists participating, including BAGSC artists Akiko EnokidoDeborah FriedmanAsuka HishikiOlga Ryabtsova, and Mitsuko Schultz. (Clicking on the names of the artists goes to their artist’s statement page on the ASBA website; click on any of the images below to see them enlarged in a slide show format, with artist and painting information.)

Congratulations to the award-winners:

Gold Medal:
Asuka Hishiki, Black Pine Half-Cascade Style Bonsai, Pinus nigra
Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, Saitama, Japan
Oil on Paper

Silver Medal:
Lucy Martin
Bigleaf Maple with Inky-Cap Mushrooms, Acer macrophyllum, Coprinellus sp., University of California Botanical Garden, Berkeley, CA, Gouache on Paper

Bronze Medal:
Ingrid Finnan
Snake Branch Spruce, Picea abies ‘Virgata’, The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY, Oil on Paper

Honorable mentions:
Beverly Allen
New Guinea Dinner Plate Fig, Ficus dammaropsis, The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Sydney, Australia, Watercolor on paper

Alexandra Negoita Vulcu
Bigleaf Magnolia, Magnolia macrophylla, Hortus Conclusus, Stone Ridge, NY, Watercolor and acrylic ink on paper

Barbara Oozeerally
Stone Oak, Lithocarpus pachyphyllus, Caerhays Estate, Gorran, St. Austell, England, Watercolor on paper

Beverly Fink
Tree Aloe, Aloe thraskii, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota, FL, Watercolor on paper

As with previous New York Triennial exhibitions, Out of the Woods will be traveling after the closing date at The New York Botanical Gardens, including coming to The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in May, 2018. Watch for future postings of lectures and other activities at The Huntington that will occur around the exhibition. BAGSC Members also will host a concurrent exhibition of local artists around the same theme at the Brody Botanical Education Center at The Huntington.

The current traveling schedule includes: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, CA, May 19 – August 27, 2018; Foundry Art Centre (in time for the next ASBA conference), St. Charles, MO, October 5 – December 28, 2018; Tucson Botanical Gardens, Tucson, AZ, January 25 – April 13, 2019; Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska, MN, May 9 – August 13, 2019.

Front cover of exhibition catalog, featuring Leiden’s 300-year Old Liriodendron tulipifera, by © Esmée Winkel, watercolor on paper.

Front cover of exhibition catalog, featuring Leiden’s 300-year Old Liriodendron tulipifera, by © Esmée Winkel, watercolor on paper.

Exhibition catalogs may be purchased on the ASBA website for $12.00 ($10.80 for NYBG members). The full-color, 60-page catalog features all of the artwork in the exhibition as well as essays illuminating the pivotal importance of living collections in the conservation of the planet’s trees, and the continued significance of botanical art in the 21st century.

 

by Deb Shaw

The 20th Annual International Exhibition by American Society of Botanical Artists and The Horticultural Society of New York was on display from November 09 – December 21, 2017 at The New York Design Center. Congratulations to all ASBA artists who participated, including BAGSC members Asuka Hishiki, Joan Keessey, Lesley Randall, Olga Ryabtsova, and Mitsuko Schultz.

Forty-six works from more than 200 submissions were chosen, including artists from the United States, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom. Jurors were: Susan Fraser, Director, Mertz Library, The New York Botanical Garden; David Horak, Curator of the Aquatic House, Brooklyn Botanic Garden; and, Esther Klahne, Botanical Artist.

The New York Design Center hosted the 20th Anniversary exhibition and reception.

If you weren’t able to see the exhibition or the opening in person, you can still view the artwork online on the ASBA website, as well as read statements about their work from each of the artists.

Congratulations to the award winners (artist’s names listed below are linked directly to their statement page):
Mariko Ikeda (Screw Pine), The Hort’s Best in Show Award, $500
Annie Patterson (Cardoon Seedhead), ASBA Eleanor Wunderlich Award of $500
Monika deVries Gohlke (‘Blackcurrant Swirl’ Datura), Helen Gray Garber Award of $500
Martha Kemp (Ornamental Gourd 2), Brooklyn Botanic Garden Award for Print or Drawing of $250
Linda Medved Lufkin (Sunflower x 2), Richmond and Lili Bates Award for Excellence of $300

In recognition of an Artist by a Fellow Artist
Honorable Mentions (4):
Olga Ryabtsova (Bird of Paradise)
Liz Shippam (Merryweather Damsons)
Mitsuko Schultz (Pink Peony)
Tammy McEntee (Shenot Crown of Thorns Gourd)

Click any of the images below to see an enlarged image and a slide show of BAGSC members in the exhibition. Congrats to all!

by Gilly Shaeffer, posted by Deb Shaw

There are many workshops to be held before the California Native Plant Society 2018 conference begins on Tuesday, January 30, through Wednesday, January 31, at the LAX Marriott.

There will be two botanical art workshops given by BAGSC members:
Gilly Shaeffer will teach “Introduction to Botanical Art Techniques”
Tuesday, January 30, from 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm.

Olga Ryabtsova will teach “Black & White Drawing Techniques in Botanical Illustration”
Wednesday, January 31, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

See complete information about these two workshops below.

Deadline to register January 14, 2018. To Register, go to https://conference.cnps.org/registration/

Introduction to Botanical Art Techniques
Tuesday, January 30, 1:00 PM-4:30 PM
Instructor: Gilly Shaeffer, Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California, American Society of Botanical Artists
Registration: $50 Attending the Conference / $70 Not Attending the Conference

Matilija Poppy, Gilly Shaeffer, watercolor on paper, © 2017.

Matilija Poppy, Gilly Shaeffer, watercolor on paper, © 2017.

Botanical art starts with a good drawing. Through demonstrations and hands-on practice, participants will learn ways to create line drawings of plants. We will focus on the need for close observation when creating botanical art. Class will begin with an overview of the materials used to create botanical art and how they are used, including pencils, drawing paper, erasers, magnifiers, watercolor brushes, paints, and watercolor paper. Next participants will be introduced to shading from light to dark to create three dimensional forms. Exercises will further participants’ understanding of form through creation of their own three dimensional forms. An introduction to the importance of a light source in drawing plant forms will be included. Class will conclude with time to sketch from natural forms so that class participants can apply the concepts presented during the class to their actual plant drawings.

This workshop is designed for people who have an interest in learning more about how to draw and eventually paint plants, and will be taught at a beginner level.

Participants will receive a list of reference books for the beginning study of drawing. Handouts will be provided covering basic points made in the class which will include exercises that can be done at home. A variety of books that are highly recommended in the study of botanical illustration and watercolor will be available to look at during class, as well as recent exhibition catalogues.

Please plan to bring (more details will be provided to registered participants—the cost for these materials should be around $15 for those who do not yet own them):

  • Strathmore drawing paper pad 400 Series
  • Graphite drawing pencils 2H, HB, and 2B
  • Cretacolor brand kneaded eraser

Gilly Shaeffer’ s lifelong interest in art and love of nature drew her to the study of botanical art. Her work has been selected to appear in juried exhibitions at museums, galleries, and gardens throughout the United States. She has taught Botanical Illustration and Watercolor at Virginia Robinson Gardens and Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. She also teaches Botanical Art Techniques at her home studio on Mount Washlngton in Los Angeles.

Black & White Drawing Techniques in Botanical Illustration
Wednesday, January 31, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Instructor: Olga Ryabtsova, Botanical Artist; Exhibition Chair of the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California, American Society of Botanical Artists
Registration: $95 Attending the Conference / $125 Not Attending the Conference

Matilija Poppy seed pod, Olga Ryabtsova, watercolor on paper, © 2017.

Matilija Poppy seed pod, Olga Ryabtsova, watercolor on paper, © 2017.

This workshop will focus on black and white drawing techniques. We will review the materials required, and participants will learn about the perception of light, shadow, and contrast in drawing with a graphite pencil, metalpoint, pen and ink. Drawing with all mentioned materials will be demonstrated. Patricipants will draw a sketch from a living plant or fruit or a provided photo with graphite, and start an original work with matalpoint.

This worshop is open to anyone interested in botanical art and drawing techniques. All skill levels are welcome (beginner, intermediate, advanced artists who are interested in metalpoint).

Preliminary list of supplies that participants will need to bring (more details will be provided before the workshop):

  • Graphite pencils 2H, HB, 2B, 4B
  • Sharpener
  • Sketch paper
  • Tracing paper
  • Drawing paper
  • Eraser
  • Board to support paper and tape to hold it
  • Metalpoint wire and holder
  • Portable light lamp (optional)

Olga Ryabtsova was born in Russia, in the town of Dubna about 80 miles north of Moscow. After school, she moved to Moscow to study graphic design and illustration at the Moscow University of Graphic Arts, where she obtained a Master’s Degree. She worked as an Art Director for advertising agencies, and as a photojournalist and commercial photographer. After moving to California in 2015, Olga became fascinated with the native plants of Southern California, the botanical gardens in the area, and botanical art. She works in many different techniques, including watercolor, oil, etching, silverpoint and ceramic. Additionally, Olga teaches drawing to children and conducts workshops for adults.

by Caitlin Thompson, sent by Nina Antze, posted by Deb Shaw

El Dorado Arts Council, located in Placerville, is currently seeking artists for a gallery exhibition entitled Native Roots, which will open Friday, March 16, 2018, and run through Sunday, May 20, 2018.

El Dorado County is located in the Sierra foothills, between South Lake Tahoe and Sacramento.

El Dorado County is located in the Sierra foothills, between South Lake Tahoe and Sacramento.

The exhibition will feature botanical artworks representing plants that are native to El Dorado County, with a special focus on the rare and federally listed plants in the Pine Hill Ecological Preserve. A full color catalogue will also be created depicting all artworks in the show.

The only requirement for artwork is that the plant(s) depicted must be native to El Dorado County, and preferably be a rare species or variety found within the Pine Hill Preserve. Pine Hill Preserve’s rare plants are a collection of eight species, three of which are endemic to the Pine Hill region and found nowhere else in the world. Another two species are nearly endemic, with only a few small colonies of the plants found elsewhere.

El Dorado County has more than 7,000 native plant species:

More information on the ecology of El Dorado County:

Pine Hill Preserve and the El Dorado chapter of the California Native Plant Society are enthusiastic about this project and have committed to partnering with us. Both organizations would be able to help guide the artists towards images and names of plants within the preserve, or the county as a whole.

Deadlines for participating in this exhibition:

Intent to enter artwork: Thursday, December 21, 2017

  • On or before this date, email Caitlin Thompson at caitlin@eldoradoartscouncil.org, with “Native Roots Artist” in the subject line.
  • Include your name (first and last), phone number, the best method to contact you, and the number of artworks you anticipate entering. If possible also include the sizes of the pieces.

Deadline for artwork submission: Monday, February 5, 2018

  • High resolution digital images of your artwork must be provided to the El Dorado Arts Council to be included in the catalogue.
  • Not all pieces are guaranteed to be accepted.

Notification of acceptance for the exhibition: Friday, February 9, 2018

Deadline for artwork drop off: Tuesday, March 13, 2018

  • If you have questions or concerns regarding getting your artwork to the gallery do not hesitate to send an e-mail.

At the end of the exhibition, individual arrangements will be made for artwork pickup.

If you wish to be part of Native Roots or have any questions, contact Caitlin Thompson at caitlin@eldoradoartscouncil.org or call (530) 295-3496.

For more information about El Dorado Arts Council, visit www.eldoradoartscouncil.org

by Ted Tegart, Education Manager at the LA Arboretum and Deb Shaw

In May, 2018, BAGSC will be exhibiting an adjunct exhibition of trees in public places, in conjunction with the exhibition of “Out of the Woods: Celebrating Trees in Public Gardens: The Third New York Botanical Garden Triennial.”

Trees at the LA Arboretum. © 2016, LA Arboretum.

Trees at the LA Arboretum. © 2016, LA Arboretum.

If you are currently working on a tree painting, Dr. Jerrold Turney, plant pathologist, certified arborist, and general tree wizard will be giving a lecture and tour about “Tree Identification” at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden on:

Saturday, December 9th, 2017
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
$25 Members / $35 Non-Members (includes Arboretum admission)
To Register please call the Education Department at 626.821.4623 or pay at the class

Familiarize yourself with one of the most diverse urban forests in the United States. Get to know the trees of Southern California! Get to know your local trees! This two hour lecture covers 15 – 20 popular tree species, and is followed by a walk in the Arboretum to meet the trees you’ve just learned about.

Dr. Turney will cover how to identify trees, their growth habit, their native country, how they should be cared for, any common diseases or insect pests that attack them, and the best place in the Southern California garden to plant them.

About Dr. Jerrold Turney
Dr. Turney has served as the curator of the camellia gardens at the Huntington Library and Botanic Gardens, a research horticulturist at the Los Angeles County Arboretum, and is currently the plant pathologist for the Department of Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures for the County of Los Angeles.

The LA Arboretum is located at: 301 North Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007, 626.821.3222.

by Tania Marien and Deb Shaw

Invitation to "Afternoon tea and the serigraphs of Henry R. Mockel," a lecture by Tania Marien.

Invitation to “Afternoon tea and the serigraphs of Henry R. Mockel,” a lecture by Tania Marien.

This past year, Tania Marien had the opportunity to learn more about Henry R. Mockel, an East Coast artist known for his serigraphs of California desert plants and wildflowers. She had the opportunity to speak with people who knew Henry, as well as opportunities to tell Henry’s story in a presentation for the Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park and to write a journal article for the Twentynine Palms Historical Society.

On Saturday, December 9, from 3 – 5 pm, Tania will share Henry’s story again, this time over afternoon tea.

This presentation is one of several events celebrating the 65th anniversary of the 29 Palms Art Gallery. Henry was an early member of the Gallery and Tania is looking forward to sharing Henry’s story with a new audience, as well as with those who may have known him.

Everyone is invited for an afternoon of tea and botanical art at the 29 Palms Art Gallery this coming Saturday. The event is free. Donations to the non-profit gallery are suggested.

The historic adobe 29 Palms Art Gallery is located at 74055 Cottonwood Drive, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277, 760.367.7819. Learn more about the Gallery at www.29palmsartgallery.com.

by Beth Stone, posted by Deb Shaw

BAGSC members might like these two upcoming events at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens:

Lecture – Cochineal in the History of Art and Global Trade
Sunday, 12/10/17 at 2:30 pm

Garden Talk & Sale – California “Super Bloom” 2017
Thursday, 12/14/17 at 2:30 pm

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