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by Veronica Raymond, posted by Deb Shaw
Jim Folsom, Director of the Botanical Gardens of the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Gardens made the sad announcement of the passing of Jeff Karsner:
I am very sad to report the death of Jeff Karsner, Head Gardener in the Children’s Garden, who fell from a collapsed railing on the balcony of his home this past Monday evening. Jeff was a spirited, passionate staff member with particular enthusiasm for succulent plants, garden design, and whimsical elements. He did a remarkable job in making the Children’s Garden and Teaching Greenhouse especially magical places for visitors. We have few details to share at this point but I wanted to let you all know about this tragic loss of a colleague. As we learn of services, we will certainly pass on this information. Jeff’s creativity, energy, and friendship will be missed greatly.
Jim Folsom
We have all enjoyed the Children’s Garden and the Teaching Greenhouses, and wish to extend our sympathies to Jeff’s family and our extended botanical family at the Huntington.
By Joan Keesey
Thread-leaved Brodiaea, Second Place, by Deborah Shaw, watercolor on Kelmscott Vellum © 2012
It was very gratifying to see the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California (BAGSC) so well represented at the Botanical Art Exhibit at the CNPS Conservation Conference 2012 in San Diego at the Town and Country Resort. There were thirteen pictures by seven BAGSC members: Diane Daly, Estelle DeRidder, Clara Josephs, Joan Keesey, Janice Sharp, Deborah Shaw, and Dorthea Yellot. Members of our group won some prizes as well: Deborah Shaw received a second place ribbon for her watercolor on vellum of Thread-leaved Brodiaea; Joan Keesey won a third place ribbon for her watercolor of Snake Lilies and Elegant Madia; Estelle DeRidder won an honorable mention for her colored pencil of Hummingbird Sage.
Snake Lily & Elegant Madia, Third Place, by Joan Keesey, watercolor © 2012
My husband and I visited the exhibit twice—once on Thursday evening and again on Saturday afternoon. On both visits there were 12-15 enthusiastic conference attendees who had taken the trouble to make the trip to the ninth floor of the Regency Towers to see the botanical art and photography. Generally the conference attendees were biologists, botanists, geologists, environmentalists and land managers—a different crowd from the usual botanical art group. The focus at most botanical art exhibits is on the artistic aspects of a work—composition, values, and technique. While this group was very appreciative of the skill displayed in the compositions, they were equally if not more interested in and enthusiastic about the actual subject matter. You overheard people say things like: “Oh, that is my favorite plant”; “Have you ever seen that beautiful sage.”; or “This is such and interesting plant. I saw it for the first time on that hike along the Merced.”
Hummingbird Sage, Honorable Mention, by Estelle DeRidder, colored pencil © 2012
This is the second CNPS exhibit that I have participated in, and I thought that the pictures were better displayed and of a higher quality. I am particularly interested in California Native Plants, so I find a show like this a real treat. I also like botanical exhibits where there is a focus or theme. I find the juxtaposition of “Turnips & Tulips”, “Corn and Camellias”, “Radishes & Roses”, jarring and difficult to evaluate. I hope BAGSC will consider sponsoring exhibits that are more focused—a plant family such as the mustard, pea, rose or lily family, plants of a particular region, trees, succulents, etc. The options are endless, but I think it makes a more interesting and informative exhibit.
by Deb Shaw
Every botanist who has discovered a new plant species — approximately 2,000 new species of plants, algae and fungi are named each year — has had to write and submit a formal description in Latin and ensure that the description (in Latin) is published the old-fashioned way: in a journal on paper.
Until, January 1, 2012, when new rules will take effect, allowing descriptions to be submitted in a modern language, online. Read the Scientific American blog to see the full story about how botanists are finally ditching Latin and paper, and joining the 21st century. This New Year’s Eve we can all toast progress, and wish everyone a healthy, happy New Year, with great paintings to come.
Cheers!
by Janice Sharp, posted by Deb Shaw
The hurricane force winds that hit the Pasadena/Arcadia area on December 1 caused extensive damage to the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. A preliminary assessment of damage indicates at least 326 trees are a total loss and over 700 require extensive restorative pruning.
The Arboretum has long been a “home” and resource of the Southern California Botanical Artists Guild. It is a place where we have all taken classes, have shown our work, and been able to obtain a variety of plant specimens. In the wake of the damage to the Arboretum, an outpouring of community support has lead to the establishment of the Arboretum Tree Fund. This is the single largest tree planting campaign in the garden’s history. Please help with the acquisition of new trees and shrubs by making a GIFT ONLINE, or by MAIL to Los Angeles Arboretum Foundation, 301 North Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA. 91007. To make a donation by phone, please call Brittany Fabeck in the Development Office at 626.821-3237. Please include “Tree Fund” on your donation.
by Deb Shaw
It’s that time of year again, when we get together to share our art and eat delicious food! Come to the BAGSC Annual Holiday Party at Janice’s house on December 10, 2011, starting at 5 pm. Spouses, significant others, family and friends are all welcome!
Bring all of the creative work you’ve done during the year to share with fellow members — not just limited to botanical art! Last year, in addition to wonderful botanical art, we saw oil paintings, portraits, abstracts, landscapes, pastels, quilts, baskets, jewelry, crafts, and more! We’re a multi-talented group and it’s wonderful to see what everyone is doing.
We’ll also have a survey so members can let the Board know which instructors and classes they would like for next year along with announcements of next year’s officers. For those who can’t attend, surveys for class interest will be sent in an email blast.
Please RSVP by December 1 to Janice, by email or phone, and let her know what you’re bringing to the feast. An email blast will be sent out with more details. See everyone there!
by Deb Shaw
The ASBA New England Chapter and the ASBA put together a fantastic conference! Kudos to them. BAGSC members at the ASBA Annual Meeting & Conference in Boston (actually Newton) were: Deborah Friedman, Joan Keesey, Suz Landay, Pat Mark, Debora Resa, Elaine Searle, Gilly Shaeffer, Deb Shaw, Jennifer Thomson, and Leslie Walker.
Keep your eyes on our blog for articles and pictures from the conference. In the meantime, here are pictures of Elaine Searle and Suz Landay taking turns driving the “Duck” on the “Flavor of Boston” tour.
Suz Landay driving the Duck.
Elaine Searle driving the Duck.
by Deb Shaw
Artwork from the Open Studio Invitation by Sally Jacobs, Sue Frank and Jack Shultz
BAGSC member Sally Jacobs, along with Sue Frank and Jack Shultz will be having a Studio Show and Open House on Saturday, November 5 from 12 – 4 pm and Sunday, November 6 from 12 – 4 pm. Original paintings, prints, glass art and holiday gifts (2012 calendars, notepads, notecards and more!) will be displayed and for sale.
Download a pdf invitation (StudioShow_EmailBlast_2011_10_06__12h48) and map, and bring friends!
by Deb Shaw
Alison Denning and Carmen Lindsay Exhibition Announcement
BAGSC members Alison Denning and Carmen Lindsay will be in a show entitled “Two Friends, 2 Expressions” at the Claremont Community Foundation in Claremont, California. The show runs from October 31 through November 28.
An artists’ reception will be held Friday, November 4, 2011 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm.
The gallery hours are Monday through Friday, from 9 am – 4 pm.
Claremont Community Foundation
205 Yale Avenue
Claremont, California 91711
909.398.1060
Congratulations Alison and Carmen!
by Deb Shaw
BAGSC member Margaret Best, in conjunction with Quench Trip Design, will be teaching a botanical art workshop in Tuscany, in Spring 2012 (April/May). Participants will stay in a restored medieval village, drawing or painting some of the seasonal displays of flowers such as red poppies, Azaleas, wisteria or the native blue iris. Or, artists may choose to depict the local fruit and vegetable offerings such as the asparagus, strawberries, fennel or peas to be found in the market place. This workshop has been designed for artists at every level.
Margaret will teach in a stunning historical indoor/outdoor studio setting. The trip also features an expert Italian-speaking cultural guide on a memorable eight-night visit to Italy.
Outside the studio, participants will visit an organic kitchen garden and join the owner for a sumptuous gourmet meal. They also will be able to experience the authentic Chianti region by mingling with the local residents and visiting boutique wine estates to sip their vintages, and savour the culture of Rome and Siena.
Please read the PDF, MargaretBestItaly, for more details, e-mail Quench Trip Design, or call them at 416 366 2777 to hear more information on how to book. Those booking before October 7th will receive Euro 150 per person off the program cost.
by Clara Josephs (posted by Deb Shaw)
All BAGSC members attending the ASBA Conference and Workshops in Boston in October should have received notification that power cords are not available for workshops and classes, and attendees need to bring battery operated lights if instructor’s have specified a lamp on the materials list.
Since outlets can be hard to come by in many classrooms, and traveling with lamps add to luggage woes, we decided to post a quick review of some battery-powered options.
The ASBA recommended the following:
- Best Color Rendering: OttLite 290G59 LED Task Light, sold online by many retailers including Amazon.com, J & R Electronics, Sears and Ottlite. It’s also available in Michael’s Craft stores.
- Lightest and Most Flexible: JOBY Gorilla Torch Flare, sold online by many retailers including Amazon.com, J & R Electronics, and REI.com
I read the specs and reviews of the Ottlite battery-operated light and decided that was definitely not for me: It weights 5 pounds (I was thinking of getting two lamps for the illumination I typically need), cost $99 each, and the battery lasts about three hours before it needs recharging. So, where would I recharge it in the middle of a class, and how long does that take?? I need light for four full days of classes. I looked at the Daylite version of the Ottlite battery light at Art Supply warehouse. It is HEAVY and bulky. So, I ordered the JOBY Gorilla Torch Flare.
After I received the first from Amazon, I purchased a second one. It’s lightweight, small, with a strong light that’s easy to position, and has DISPOSABLE batteries. (I definitely don’t want to run to my room at lunch to try to recharge my light for the afternoon.) So far, I am pleased with the JOBY torch light. It isn’t perfect, but the light is crisp and shows details. I am not as sensitive to color correction issues as I should be, but I would guess the color is not as true as on Ott. I will carry a ton of AA batteries (the ASBA should make sure there is someone in the lobby selling batteries at all times!!!!). Joanne’s Fabrics had a 50 percent off sale on all Ott lamps, but I don’t know if they carry the battery light. I also tried ordering a flip light from Lamps Plus and it was useless – a glorified book light. I was going to go check REI for a larger dimension spot light, but I haven’t had time. I think I will just go with these two JOBY’s.
Morgan painting in her studio
The seventh annual San Fernando Valley Artist Studio Tour will be held Saturday and Sunday October 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. BAGSC member Morgan Kari will be among the 30 artists participating in the studio tour, presenting her beautiful new studio and teaching school.
Morgan’s art studio, formerly a farm building for processing walnuts grown on the property, consists of five rooms, including an art library of more than 2000 art and photography books, a trundle bed for naps or for guests, a computer and business room, a framing and mat cutting facility, and a lecture and refreshment room. There is also a teaching school for four students that was once the farm’s tool room, and ceilings that are 18 feet high, with skylights that open. North lighting filters through shuttered windows and each room is filled with music from a central sound system.
Morgan’s 900 square foot studio is located in the back garden, surrounded by flowers and numerous fruiting trees, arbors, dogs, birdbaths and flagstone patios for painting outside.
The studio interior is decorated in art deco and Chinese style with a black floor. Special thought was given to the art furniture, storage, lighting, and presentations.
Morgan’s paintings are realistically rendered still life, portraits, and botanicals in watercolor, oil, pastel, silverpoint, and colored pencil.
For more information, contact:
Valley Artists Studio Tour
818-469-3380
or Morgan.
by Deb Shaw
Tiger's Eye, photograph by David Leaser, © 2011, all rights reserved
Director Jim Folsom and The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, have offered an invitation to view a series of Special Showings for Focus on Flowers, a photographic exhibit featuring highly detailed large-scale artwork by David Leaser and Personal Nature: A Photographic Exploration of Botanicals by Mark Hanauer.
Each Special Showing pairs these remarkable exhibits with live flowers presented for microscopic examination – a fresh and enjoyable merging of floral art and science. Staff will be present to assist with microscopes and provide information on plants represented.
All Special Showings are free and will be held on the following Saturday mornings, 9:00 am -12:00 pm:
24 September 2011
1 October 2011
8 October 2011
22 October 2011
29 October 2011
For your own invitation to one of these events, please email:
GardensRSVP@Huntington.org
specifying the date you would like to come and the names of your guests. The Huntington will send you an email confirmation response. Please print out a copy of the email confirmation and bring it with you; it will be your pass to attend.
Photograph by Mark Hanauer, © 2011, all rights reserved.
Attendance is limited, so please contact the Huntington soon.
From 12 September through 1 November, these photographic exhibits will hang in the Botanical Center, which is open with General Admission during Huntington public hours (except Sunday). Fresh flowers will only be present during the Special Showings. The Huntington is closed to the public on Tuesdays.
The Huntington is located at 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108, 626.405.2100.
by Deb Shaw
The annual juried exhibition of the ASBA/Horticultural Society of New York opens on September 21, 2011, and runs through November 23, 2011 at The Horticultural Society of New York.
Erythrina sp., Coral Tree Seeds, graphite and watercolor on veilum, © 2010, Deborah Shaw, all rights reserved.
Forty works were selected from a field of 199 entries, by jurors Patricia Jonas, Kathie Miranda and Derek Norman. Artists from the US, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, and the UK are in the show, including BAGSC members Akiko Enokido and Deborah Shaw.
An artists’ reception will be held from 6 – 8 pm on September 21 at The Horticultural Society of New York, 148 W. 37th Street, 13th Floor, New York, New York. A catalog has been published, and can be ordered through Tania Marien at Art Plantae Books (see BAGSC News blog article below).
by Deb Shaw
Our beloved ArtPlantae Books, by Tania Marien, is now the official source for purchasing ASBA Catalogs; including catalogs of past exhibitions. A portion of each sale will be donated to the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) to support their mission and goals of promoting public awareness of contemporary botanical art, to honoring its traditions, and to furthering its development.
For fastest service and easiest ordering, use your credit card at the ArtPlantae Books website, click on “ASBA Exhibition Catalogs” and complete the order form. Catalogs can also be purchased by check by sending an order form and check, including shipping and handling and sales tax (if applicable), made out to ArtPlantae Books at:
5225 Canyon Crest Drive, Suite 71-127
Riverside, California 92507
Cover of the ASBA's, "Losing Paradise?" catalog
ASBA members ordering through the ArtPlantae Books website can enjoy a special discount on the Losing Paradise? Endangered Plants Here and Around the World catalog. Regularly $29.95, the Losing Paradise? catalog can be purchased through ArtPlantae Books for $25.00. See the last page of your latest issue of the ASBA journal, The Botanical Artist for the special checkout code, or contact Tania Marien.
After a successful show in New York, Losing Paradise? Endangered Plants Here and Around the World, opened at the the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, UK on June 25, 2011. This exhibition at Kew is an integral component of a larger exhibition called Plants in Peril that will be on view at the gallery until Sunday, October 16, 2011.
The Losing Paradise? exhibition features 44 works of original art depicting threatened and endangered plants from North & South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. The exhibition catalog was produced by the American Society of Botanical Artists and features the artwork that appeared in the original exhibition in New York, as well as information about each plant. The catalog also includes essays by leading plant scientists and conservationists. Learn more about the Losing Paradise? exhibition on the blog at www.asbalosingparadise.blogspot.com.
by Deb Shaw
BAGSC member, Cristina Baltayian will teach a class in “Using Colored Pencils in Botanical Art” at the Los Angeles Arboretum. The class will focus on techniques, composition and color mixing. All levels of experience are welcome.
Students can sign up for September classes or October classes, or both!
Tuesdays, September 6, 13, 20, 27 – Oak Room (except for September 13)
Tuesdays, October 4, 11, 18, 25 – (Oak Room (except for October 4)
10 am-2 pm (includes one-half hour for lunch)
Los Angeles Arboretum & Botanic Garden
301 North Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007
626-821-3222
Cristina Baltayian, Instructor
$225 Arboretum members/$245 non-members per month
To register, contact Jill Berry, via email, phone: 26.821.4624, or fax: 626.821.4642. A materials list will be sent to all registrants. Space is limited, so be sure to register soon.
Cristina Baltayian has a background in drawing (graphite, charcoal, pen and ink), two-dimensional design, watercolor, and colored pencils. Her work has been shown at Filoli, the Los Angeles Arboretum and Chapman University. She is a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists and The Botanical Guild of Southern California.
BAGSC News 