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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.
by Gilly Shaeffer, posted by Deb Shaw
Asuka Hishiki demonstrating during the “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” Symposium at The Huntington, July 2015. Photo by Gilly Shaeffer, © 2015.
During the recent “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” Symposium at The Huntington, I watched Asuka Hishiki as she demonstrated how she would paint a segment of an heirloom tomato skin. Here are my impressions of the way she went about developing this small sample of the tomato skin with paint.
- Asuka says every time she approaches her subject it is new for her.
- Asuka starts sketches on tracing paper.
- She uses a wood pencil in a pencil holder which she sharpens with a box cutter.
- She goes over her pencil lines with a lighter color paint or yellow ochre. So she will have thin lines in watercolor for her drawing.
- At this point she erases any pencil lines.
- She covers the entire form with a Chinese white wash. (The Chinese white that she likes is the Holbein brand.) She says one should stay very light when applying the first layer of this white paint. This Chinese white wash acts as a protection for the paper. Much of it gets taken off during the removal of the masking fluid (to be mentioned later).
- Asuka will add more Chinese white paint on the places where she wants the paint to bleed to create soft color transitions. She also mentions the importance of keeping harmony in the colors used as the form develops.
Asuka Hishiki masking fluid technique. Photo by Gilly Shaeffer, © 2015.
- She mixes three colors together in a small amount to be used to develop the form using the dry brush technique. She uses Interlon brand brush #3/0 for her dry brush work.
- In preparing to use masking fluid to prevent certain areas of the paper from getting painted, she would prime the brush to be used with liquid soap. The soap helps to keep the masking fluid brush in good shape for future use. This brush is used exclusively for masking fluid.
- She will use the masking fluid to hold the places that she does not want to get painted—in this case the place where a leaf would be (which looks like a skinny wiggly line in the photos), where the highlights would be and where imperfections would be found on the tomato skin.
Asuka Hishiki masking fluid technique. Photo by Gilly Shaeffer, © 2015.
- Asuka stipples on the masking fluid with a very skinny brush on the section that she has begun to paint.
- She uses tissue to blot any extra paint from her paper.
- Then she adds a second layer of masking fluid. So, this layer of masking fluid dots will have more tone than the first layer of dots that she applied that prevent any paint from getting through to the paper.
- She always makes sure that the paint and the masking fluid that she has applied are absolutely dry before proceeding.
- She says that you can lift paint more easily when you have first applied a Chinese white wash to the paper.
- She applies a layer of Yellow Ochre wash.
- She continues to develop the form through her dry brush technique. At this point the masking fluid remains on the painted area.
Asuka Hishiki masking fluid technique. Photo by Gilly Shaeffer, © 2015.
- Asuka uses Winsor Newton Series 7 brushes, #5 and #3 for the colored washes.
- She adds a third layer of masking fluid dots.
- With WN Series 7 #5 brush, she puts a colored wash on the section that she had previously dry brushed. This makes any lines from dry brushing disappear.
- Now she lifts the masking fluid dots. When she does this she is also lifting the Chinese white paint that was applied to the paper at the very start. The white of the paper now shows through in the places that had masking fluid on them.
- She decides that she wants to apply another layer (this would be the fourth layer) of masking fluid dots. This will make the dots appear lighter and less visible than the layers applied earlier.
- Next more dry brushing with a deeper color paint. Some stippling is used. Then some more wet strokes (colored washes) to further the development of the form.
- When she removes the fourth layer of masking fluid, it is easy to see the section of the heirloom tomato skin developing on the paper with its highlights, its shiny smooth skin, its roundness, its imperfections and its rich colors of orange, red, and purple.
by Cynthia Jackson, posted by Deb Shaw
From the New York Times article post: Hardwicke’s woolly bat, flying into a pitcher plant, Nepenthes hemsleyana, where it roosts. The plant attracts the bats to feed on their guano. It does not eat the bats. Photo credit: Ch’ien C.
BAGSC member Cynthia Jackson forwarded a link to a New York Times article, Plants that are Predators, posted online September 14, 2015.
The article highlights numerous carnivorous plants, including the Nepenthe pictured here.
During the “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” Symposium, Mieko Ishikawa gave a workshop on painting Nepenthes, and also discussed them in her lunchtime keynote about painting the plants of Borneo. She showed photographs of one Nepenthe that serves as a toilet for a rodent.
More stories and photos about the “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” Symposium will be posted soon.
Thank you Cynthia for the link!
by Veronica Raymond and Deb Shaw
Kathy Musial and feathered friend during a botanical trip.
The Southern California Horticultural Society (SCHS) is honoring Kathy Musial with a “Horticulturist of the Year” award at their 2015 Annual Award Banquet at the Los Angeles Arboretum.
BAGSC members may be most familiar with Kathy’s tireless work as part of The Huntington/BAGSC team for “Weird, Wild & Wonderful: The New York Botanical Garden Second Triennial Exhibition,” Weird, Wild & Wonderful Symposium, and the BAGSC adjunct exhibition.
The Southern California Horticultural Society is recognizing Kathy with the 2015 Horticulturist of the Year award for her work as Curator of Living Collections at the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens. During her work there during the last 30 years, Kathy has made significant contributions to horticultural and botanical knowledge, both locally and globally.
Kathy has authored numerous publications, ranging from professional papers to excerpts from her travel diary of her tours to Chile, to editing the massive tome, Conifers Around the World, with Zsolt Debreczy and István Rácz. She has led botanical tours to Australia, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa and Madagascar.
Everyone is invited to join SCHS in celebrating Kathy’s remarkable work and dedication in the field of horticulture and in advancing a greater understanding of the flora of our world on:
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden
301 N Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007
Peacock Cafe
6pm, social hour and silent auction. Dinner and presentation begin at 7pm.
Purchase banquet tickets on-line, $45 each, by Thursday, September 3, 2015.
Please call Steven Gerischer, (323) 257-3629 with any questions.
Kathy has been a great resource for many BAGSC members and plant lovers everywhere. Congratulations Kathy!
by Janice Sharp and Bonnie Born Ash, posted by Deb Shaw
People’s Choice first place award went to Estelle DeRidder’s, Fuller’s Teasel, Dipsacus fullonum, colored pencil on paper, © 2015 Estelle DeRidder, all rights reserved.
During the opening reception for the adjunct exhibition by the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California (BAGSC), friends, family and the public were able to vote for their personal favorites. The votes are in and the ribbons have been hung for the last three days of the show, Friday, 7 August – Sunday, 9 August.
People’s Choice second place award went to Lori Vreeke’s, Field Pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo var. ovifera, colored pencil on paper, © 2015 Lori Vreeke, all rights reserved.
First prize went to Estelle DeRidder’s Fuller’s Teasel with 16 votes. Second prize went to Lori Vreeke’s Field Pumpkin with 12 votes and third prize to Asuka Hishika’s Black Daikon Radish with 11 votes.
There were a surprisingly large number of votes cast (191) and the votes were distributed throughout all the artworks in the show. It is clear that there are many different themes and media that appeal to different viewers, but everyone agrees that the chosen works are fabulous!
People’s Choice third place award went to Asuka Hishiki’s, Black Daikon Radish (Kuromaru Daikon), Raphanus sativus, watercolor on paper, © 2015 Asuka Hishiki, all rights reserved.
by Deb Shaw
Close on the heels of the “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” Symposium at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California (BAGSC), opened their supplemental exhibition of botanical oddities, in the Brody Botanical Center’s Banta Hall at The Huntington.
The reception for the BAGSC adjunct exhibition was packed with family, friends, colleagues and the public. Weird, Wild & Wonderful Second New York Botanical Garden Triennial Exhibition was also open for viewing and enthusiastically received. Photo © Gayle Uyehara, 2015.
The opening reception on Saturday, 1 August was well-attended and great fun. BAGSC members have been rotating shifts, providing botanical art demonstrations and talking with the public all week, including:
- Bonnie Born Ash
- Cristina Baltayian, colored pencil
- Nancy Beckham, colored pencil
- Melanie Campbell-Carter, colored pencil and watercolor
- Jan Clouse
- Diane Daly, watercolor
- Estelle DeRidder
- Kate Gaman
- Cynthia Jackson
- Susan Jackson
- Clara Josephs, watercolor
- Suzanne Kuuskmae
- Tania Marien
- Patricia Mark
- Terri Munroe, graphite and watercolor
- Kathy Morgan, watercolor
- Marilyn Parrino
- Lesley Randall
- Gilly Shaeffer, watercolor
- Mitsuko Schultz, watercolor
- Janice Sharp, metal point and colored pencil
- Deborah Shaw, graphite on vellum
- Beth Stone
- Leslie Walker
- Jude Wiesenfeld
The BAGSC adjunct exhibition features 72 artworks by 37 members, including: Bonnie Born Ash, Cristina Baltayian, Nancy Beckham, Melanie Campbell-Carter, Jan Clouse, Diane Daly, Estelle DeRidder, Nancy Grubb, Asuka Hishiki, Cynthia Jackson, Susan Jackson, Clara Josephs, Joan Keesey, Suzanne Kuuskmae, Teri Kuwahara, Patricia Mark, Lee McCaffree, Arillyn Moran-Lawrence, Kathy Morgan, Terri Munroe, Alyse Ochniak, Marilyn Parrino, Dolores Pope, Kathlyn Powell, Lesley Randall, Veronica Raymond, Robyn Reilman, Norma Sarkin, Mitsuko Schultz, Gilly Shaeffer, Janice Sharp, Deborah Shaw, Beth Stone, Gayle Uyehara, Lori Vreeke, Leslie Walker, Jude Wiesenfeld.
An exhibition of Botanical Oddities, illustrations by the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California will continue each day through Sunday, August 9, 2015, 10:30 am – 4:30 pm in The Frances Lasker Brody Botanical Center at The Huntington.
The Weird, Wild & Wonderful: The New York Botanical Garden Second Triennial Exhibition exhibition also will be open each day, Friday – Sunday, August 7 – 9, plus will continue to be open on weekends only until August 23.
Exhibition information and hours posted at huntington.org
Join us before the BAGSC paintings are whisked away!
by Janice Sharp, posted by Deb Shaw
Exploring stencil leaf rubbings in graphite and colored pencil at The Huntington. BAGSC artists are demonstrating for the public August 1 – 9 in conjunction with our group show of botanical oddities by the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California. “Weird, Wild & Wonderful,” The New York Botanical Garden Second Triennial Exhibition, will be open each day through August 9, and then weekends only through August 23. Photo © Janice Sharp, 2015.
Today was a great family day at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens. All afternoon groups of children were attracted to the stencils, pencils and paper we had set out to try their hand at preparing botanical themed rubbings.
Children had fun creating leaf and flower rubbings from stencil templates. They explored the different graphite pencil hardnesses and the effect that could be achieved with light and hard pressure on the pencils. Some ventured into color pencils choosing a favorite color to create shapes or writing their name to claim ownership of their creations. One adventurous artist started with graphite to define outlines then filled in with color.
While most of the budding artists were very young, there were also older “children” who wanted to create a work of art.
I had a fun afternoon giving basic instructions on how to do a rubbing, although most of my time seemed to be spent handing out fresh pieces of paper and sharpening pencils.
Exploring stencil leaf rubbings in graphite and colored pencil at The Huntington. Photo © Janice Sharp, 2015.
A number of parents had to use all their persuasive powers to convince their children that The Huntington offered activities other than rubbings and they should explore them before the close of day.
by Beth Stone
It’s pre-dawn on Friday and we’ve loaded our sleepy selves into The Huntington van with Jim Folsom at the wheel. We’re off to see the flowers, the wonderful flowers of the LA Flower Mart!
Peonies, Clematis and Lilies oh my!
We could while away the hours, conversing with the flowers…
and it’s back to The Huntington with The Wizard!
by Melanie Campbell-Carter
Nepenthes! The very epitome of Weird, Wild, and Wonderful was the subject of a three-day pre-symposium workshop led by Mieko Ishikawa, a featured artist in the Weird, Wild & Wonderful exhibit currently on view at the Brody Botanical Center at The Huntington and also a Keynote Speaker at our symposium.
Mieko Ishikawa graciously traveled across the Pacific to join us here in Southern California. Her first event of the Symposium was her three-day workshop on Nepenthes. The Huntington botanical gardens staff kindly cultivated and provided living Nepenthes plants for the workshop, and Mieko provided Reindeer Vellum for her students’ paintings.
Meiko Ishikawa and Akiko Enokido unroll Reindeer Vellum to show the class what a whole skin looks like.
First Mieko treated us to a wonderful presentation about her adventures finding and painting the very special plants of Borneo. We then enjoyed a behind-the-scenes tour of The Huntington greenhouse where the Nepenthes were grown. Robert Hori of The Huntington and BAGSC’s very talented Akiko Enokido provided interpretive skills for the workshop.
Meiko demonstrating her techniques.
After three days of intense study, graphite drawing on our vellum, and very careful application of watercolor on our drawings with extremely tiny brushes, we all had a much greater understanding of the stunning talent and achievements of Mieko Ishikawa. Her mastery of the structure of the plants, as well as her breathtaking artistic talent, gave all of us an enormous dose of inspiration to continue learning and painting!
Many, many thanks to everyone who made the workshop possible – including The Huntington gardens’ staff, the ASBA, the amazing BAGSC women who organized the symposium, and especially our tireless and patient instructor, Mieko Ishikawa.
Workshop participants with their Nepenthes paintings.
by Beth Stone
photographs by Gayle Uyehara
An enthusiastic group of artists enjoyed three days with Elaine Searle for her class entitled “Liquid Shine…Sculpting Form with Light and Color”. This was one of two Weird, Wild & Wonderful pre-symposium classes held at The Huntington this week. Gilly Shaeffer searched everywhere until finally her artist’s eye found beautiful Italian peppers for our studies. The class explored the differences between Sheen, Shine and Liquid Shine learning a host of indispensable techniques and tips.
Elaine Searle (back of room) made good use of the projection system in The Engemann Applied Tech Lab for demonstrations. Even Jim Folsom stepped in to help by printing personal photographic pepper portraits (see sample in foreground).
Terri Monroe thoughtfully applying finishing touches to her pepper.
The class joins in a group status check mid way through the third and final day.
Elaine Searle (far left) treated the class to an overview of just a few samples of her beautiful artwork.
by Beth Stone
There are two georgeous Bat Flower (Tacca chantrieri) paintings featured in the Weird, Wild & Wonderful exhibition currently on display at The Huntington. The hauntingly beautiful flowers can measure up to 12″ across with “whiskers” up to 30″ long. Did I ever expect to see these jungle flowers in Southern California? Certainly not, but I must have forgotten I was in such a magical place! A whole row of plants appeared in The Huntington’s Banta Hall this morning!
Bring on the dramatic theater lighting and just watch how this villainess poses for the camera!
by Beth Stone
The LA Times dubbed the weather WEIRD, while plant lovers call it WONDERFUL!!
Symposium week is finally here! There are two great workshops underway — Mieko Ishikawa and Elaine Searle, and attendees are getting a preview as the Banta Hall displays are being assembled.
by Beth Stone
Are you planning to enter BAGSC ‘s very own adjunct exhibition to “Weird, Wild & Wonderful: The New York Botanical Garden Second Triennial Exhibition, Botanical Illustrations of Remarkable Plants” which is coming to The Huntington’s Brody Botanical Center?
Let’s all take advantage of this truly Wonderful opportunity. First time BAGSC exhibitors are encouraged to enter! Can YOU contribute at least one artwork? (limit is 3 artworks per member)
We have an important deadline, here’s how you can help:
Please email the complete botanical name of your subject matter no later than this coming Wednesday, May 27, 2015 to Beth Stone. Don’t worry, this does not obligate you to submit those works.
by Deb Shaw
Alain Touwaide will be one of the lunch hour keynote speakers at the “Weird, Wild & Wonderful Symposium,” July 23–26, 2015 at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. We can get a sneak peak with a different lecture by Alain this Saturday at The Huntington, when he gives a talk entitled, “Gardens for Health: A Walk through History.”
Alain Touwaide will explore how humans have recognized the therapeutic benefits of nature since ancient times, and have built gardens that helped restore health, both physical and spiritual. By reviewing some iconic sites in the Mediterranean world—Pompeii, Constantinople, Baghdad, Cordoba, Granada, and Padua, among others—Touwaide examines archaeological fields and early manuscripts that illustrate the relationship between humans and nature through time and space.
Tania Marien has posted blog articles about Alain Touwaide and Emanuela Appetiti on ArtPlantae Today. She encourages all of us to attend: “I have been to Alain’s presentations at the conferences of the Renaissance Society of America and the History of Science Society and can confirm without question you will leave enlightened and leave thinking about herbals in an entirely different way. How Alain and Emanuela interpret what is written in the herbals is fascinating.”
Touwaide is scientific director of the Institute for the Preservation of Medical Traditions and research associate at the Smithsonian Institution.
Gardens for Health: A Walk through History
Saturday, May 2, 2015
2:30 p.m.
Rothenberg Hall
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Free; no reservations required
by Beth Stone and Deb Shaw
Solanum lycopersicum, Heirloom Tomato, Watercolor on paper, © Asuka Hishiki
BAGSC will be holding an adjunct exhibition to “Weird, Wild & Wonderful: The New York Botanical Garden Second Triennial Exhibition, Botanical Illustrations of Remarkable Plants” in Banta Hall at The Huntington’s Brody Botanical Center.
The theme of this exhibition will focus on botanical specimens of plants compatible with the theme of the New York exhibition, “Weird, Wild & Wonderful.” Curated by the ASBA and originally opening in New York in 2014, “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” will open June 13 and continue through August 23 in The Huntington’s Brody Botanical Center, Flori-Legium Room, San Marino, California. The exhibition will be open to the public Saturdays and Sundays during the summer, plus additional times during workshops and the Symposium. The exhibition also will be open to the public August 1 – 9 along with the BAGSC “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” adjunct exhibition.
BAGSC artists are invited to seek visually unusual plants and create works of art that celebrate the bizarre, yet beautiful flora of the world. Botanical oddities and curiosities could be those found locally, in natural surroundings or a botanical garden. Dick Rauh, PhD offered ideas to artists on potentially pertinent plants: http://asba-art.org/article/weird-wild-and-wonderful-suggested-subjects.
The “Call for Entries” packet will be sent out via email blast to members soon. Members will be able to enter up to three works. It is our hope to include at least one art work from each and every BAGSC member. So whether you are an experienced exhibitor or you have not yet entered a show, please read the call for entries when you receive it and get to work on your entry now! Framing will be “artists’ choice.”
Some deadlines to mark on your calendar:
- ASAP: We will be coordinating with BAGSC artists and The Huntington to include as many different species as possible. Please let us know what you have, are painting, or are considering painting. Please email the complete botanical name of your choices ASAP to Beth Stone. Don’t worry, this does not obligate you to submit those works.
- Wednesday, May 27, 2015: This date is the absolute deadline for getting your list emailed to Beth Stone of what you have, are painting, or are considering painting. We will submit our “list of plant subjects” as best we know it to The Huntington so they can start planning on signage, related plants from the Garden, microscopes and more to go with our exhibition.
- Wednesday, July 1, 2015: July 1 is the deadline for digital submissions, entry fee and complete entry forms.
Questions about the exhibition? Contact Bonnie Born Ash or Beth Stone.
Need some Weird, Wild & Wonderful inspiration?
Kathy Musial, The Huntington’s curator of living collections, and Huntington horticultural staff will give BAGSC members a private tour of the greenhouses and gardens to talk about their own favorite weird, wild and wonderful plants. This is a great opportunity to get ideas and ask a botanist questions about plants you are painting.
May 8, 2015
10 am; The tour begins at 10 am sharp, so please plan to arrive earlier so you are ready. The tour will leave whether or not you are there.
The Huntington
You must RSVP with Beth Stone to attend. The Huntington will have stickers for us, so there will be no entry fee. The new café is open at The Huntington if you would like to purchase lunch after the plant tour. Details about where, when to meet up and more will be sent out later. You are welcome to spend the day at The Huntington.
Happy painting!
BAGSC News 