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By Gilly Shaeffer, posted by Deb Shaw
Matt Ritter talking with Diane Nelson Daly about her watercolor of Bauhinia x blakeana, Hong Kong Orchid Tree.
The Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California (BAGSC) celebrated its 20th Anniversary on August 26, 2017 with a three-event program held at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. The late afternoon program started in the Arboretum Library with a tour of our current exhibition, Illustrating the Urban Forest: 20 Years of Botanical Art. Following a welcome from LA Arboretum Librarian Susan Eubank and BAGSC President Janice Sharp, our guest speaker, Matt Ritter, led the exhibit tour and called on several BAGSC artists to join him in discussing their paintings.
From the exhibition, BAGSC members and guests went to Ayres Hall at the Arboretum for Matt’s keynote presentation on the trees of Southern California. We were grateful to have Matt, a botanist, tree expert and very engaging speaker, share his knowledge of trees and take us on a tour of the urban forest. His presentation shed light on many issues that affect trees in our Southern California environment, as well as focusing on those that do well in our climate, neighborhoods, streets and parks.
BAGSC member Terri Munroe played beautiful harp music to accompany our dinner on the Peacock Café patio.
After Matt’s presentation, BAGSC members and guests meandered over to the Peacock Café patio. As members and guests arrived on the patio, we were welcomed by heavenly harp music by BAGSC member, Terri Munroe, and a magnificent view of the setting sun casting a golden light over our dinner celebration. Members and guests checked out a table display of our 20-year history in photographs, past BAGSC newsletters and other memorabilia from group events.
Before beginning a delicious dinner, we heard a few words from a letter sent by Olga Eysymontt about the beginnings of our group, and listened to fun reminiscences of early times in BAGSC by Leslie Walker (a former BAGSC president). Janice Sharp (current BAGSC president) spoke about what the group is doing now and our plans for the future, including exhibitions, workshops and collaborations with various public gardens in Southern California.
An elegant and delicious dinner on the patio of the Peacock Café.
Later during the dinner program, I had the pleasure of expressing the group’s deepest appreciation on behalf of BAGSC members to three members who have made outstanding contributions to our group over the years.
The first person to be mentioned was Tania Marien. She was responsible for starting our BAGSC newsletter, and was editor for a number of years. Her selfless spirit and dedication to botanical art found further expression when she became one of the main organizers for the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) 2008 Annual Conference which was held at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California. In 2015, Tania played a major role again as a key organizer of the ASBA “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” Symposium which also was held at The Huntington. Her tireless efforts have increased awareness about plants and botanical art in Southern California and around the world.
We are also grateful for the contributions made by Deborah Shaw to furthering people’s awareness of botanical art and the role of our BAGSC organization. Deb has been instrumental in helping our group become acquainted with current digital technologies. Some of her accomplishments include creating the BAGSC Blog and the beautiful BAGSC website. She has been an extraordinary force in keeping our membership well informed about BAGSC events and ASBA events. She was also a key organizer of the ASBA Annual Conference of 2008 and the ASBA “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” Symposium of 2015. It is hard to imagine how Deb manages to keep our group well informed while also creating paintings that draw great admiration.
And last but not least, our Tania Norris deserves a big thank you for outstanding contributions she has made to BAGSC and botanical art. Tania helped to get the “ball rolling” which led to the 2008 ASBA Annual Conference being held at the The Huntington. She helped in many ways to make the first ASBA Conference held in LA a big success. Tania was also a key organizer for the 2015 ASBA “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” Symposium held at The Huntington. Her selfless efforts have helped to lay the foundation for a special collaboration between BAGSC and The Huntington Brody Botanical Center. Her love for botanical art and her generous support have helped in establishing Los Angeles as a great place for this art form to thrive.
A big and heartfelt thank you to the many others who also have contributed to BAGSC and botanical art over the last 20 years. The truth is, we could not have reached this 20-year milestone without everyone’s contributions and support, too numerous to name.
We could not have had this lovely event without the help of BAGSC member, Jan Clouse and her husband, Charles, who designed the printed post cards and invitations for this 20th celebration. Additional thanks go to Cristina Baltayian for designing and creating the floral centerpieces for the tables. Thank you to Terri Munroe, for volunteering to play music for the dinner, which added a special magic to our evening. And, of course, a heartfelt thank you to Susan Eubank and the LA Arboretum—one of our first botanical homes and an avid supporter of BAGSC, plants, and botanical art.
Most importantly, thank you to all our dedicated members and supporters for all you have done during this 20-year period to make us the strong and vibrant group we are today. We gratefully look forward to the next 20 years.
P.S. from BAGSC members: A big thank you to Gilly Shaeffer, who served as BAGSC President for many years, and volunteered to chair our 20th Anniversary Celebration committee.
Click any of the circles to see the slide show and the captions:
BAGSC Members and their guests gathered in the Arboretum Library for the artists’ walk-through, led by Matt Ritter.
BAGSC Members and their guests gathered in the Arboretum Library for the artists’ walk-through, led by Matt Ritter.
BAGSC Members and their guests gathered in the Arboretum Library for the artists’ walk-through, led by Matt Ritter. (L to R): Tania Marien, Tania Norris, and Leslie Walker.
Janice Sharp introduces Matt Ritter.
Listening to Matt Ritter’s introduction to the artists’ walk-through.
Matt Ritter introduces the exhibition and himself.
Deborah Shaw discusses her Castanospermum australe, watercolor on paper.
Matt Ritter and Cynthia Jackson discussing her watercolor on paper of Brachychiton rupestris, Queensland Bottle Tree.
Matt Ritter and Susan Jackson discuss Susan’s Platanus racemosa, California sycamore, and the annual raking of Sycamore leaves, watercolor on paper.
Matt Ritter discussing Janice Sharp’s Eucalyptus racemosa, Scribbly Gum, and why the scribbles disappear when the tree is grown away from Australia, watercolor/gouache on paper.
Matt Ritter giving his keynote presentation.
Kate Gaman looks over BAGSC’s 20-year history.
Tania Marien looks at the BAGSC history display.
Elegant and delicious dinner and drinks on the patio of the Peacock Café as the sun sets.
Elegant and delicious dinner and drinks on the patio of the Peacock Café as the sun sets.
Elegant and delicious dinner and drinks on the patio of the Peacock Café as the sun sets.
by Jennifer Muto; and Rose Marie James, ASBA On-Line Manager; posted by Deb Shaw
As you know, ASBA continues to be a wonderful resource for all information about what is happening in the world of botanical art. It brings us together in the way of conferences, a terrific quarterly magazine and as a means of showing our work to the world through exhibitions, our website gallery and our annual on-line auction.
The ASBA online auction offers us the most exposure because it provides a broad opportunity for friends and associates, and their friends and acquaintances, to see and purchase our work through social media. It benefits everyone – you the artist, the buyers and ASBA.
ASBA needs the help of our members to participate in this very important fundraiser. Submit an original piece or a gicleé print you have in your library of work. If it’s an original you get half the sale price back. This is about the same as any gallery but the balance goes to our wonderful organization.
Please help support the ASBA so that we can continue to provide those enriching resources we have all come to enjoy. The ASBA On-Line Auction is approaching its submission deadline in eight days, on Monday, March 13th. Here is the link to the ASBA website where you can register to participate in the online aution. Just send a digital copy of your art and the PDF application form and you are good to go. It will make us happy.
You may have seen the copy below in the recent ASBA highlights newsletter. We would love to get more submissions from ASBA members and was hoping you’d be willing to submit something and/or reach out to your ASBA friends to help us rally submissions. No submission is too small!
Tick tock, tick tock. Time is getting short. The ASBA Online Auction needs you! You need the Online Auction! It’s a Win-Win! It’s a chance to show your botanical artwork to a world-wide audience. Plus, if you make a sale of an original work, 50 percent comes back to you, and you help ASBA at the same time. It really is easy to send a digital image of your art (sized to 72 dpi, 8 inches high) with a brief description of the art work or item, plus its value. You may submit one or more original pieces, or giclée prints (five per artist maximum), art materials or equipment, and classes. Here – is the link for further details and submission – just click it – it is easy! We’ll take care of the rest. Deadline to submit: March 13th, 2016.
Thanks and looking forward to seeing you in October at Filoli for the ASBA Conference & Annual Meeting!
by Estelle DeRidder and Deb Shaw
Invitation for Estelle DeRidder’s Madrona Marsh Nature Center Exhibition, © 2016, Estelle DeRidder.
In 2012, BAGSC member Estelle DeRidder was awarded an education grant from the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) to use in creating reusable plant identification cards featuring California native plant illustrations from the Madrona Marsh Preserve in Torrence, California.
Information about Estelle’s project was presented at the ASBA Annual Meeting and Conference in Denver, Colorado during the ASBA Grant Presentations, October 17, 2014.
Estelle is now exhibiting the complete project at the Madrona Marsh Nature Center. Titled The Flashcard Project: Flora of the Madrona Marsh III, the exhibition runs from December 6, 2016 through January 20, 2017. There will be an opening reception Sunday, December 18, 2016
1:00 – 4:00 pm.
The public is invited and welcome.
The Nature Center at the Madrona Marsh Preserve is located at: 3201 Plaza del Amo, Torrance, CA 90505. Phone: (310) 32-MARSH. The Madrona March is open Tuesday – Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm.
If you are interested in applying for an ASBA grant, please apply by August 1, 2017 (open to ASBA members only). Information and the application can be found on the ASBA’s Grant page on their website.
by Deb Shaw
Plant: Exploring the Botanical World is a beautifully illustrated coffee table book featuring 300 watercolors, drawings, paintings, prints, photographs and micrograph scans of botanical subjects. The book was on display during the portfolio-sharing session at the 2016 American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) conference in Pittsburgh, and had lines of admirers thumbing through the sample copies.
Many of our ASBA colleagues are featured in Plant: the artwork was selected by a panel of international experts including Dr. James Compton, botanist and plant collector; Charlotte Tancin of the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation; and Patricia Jonas, of ASBA.
Hailed as “a dazzling collection…that brings the evolution of botanical art right into the 21st century” (Gardens Illustrated), Plant is a wonderful resource for artists, horticulturists, and anyone who appreciates the breathtaking variety of the natural world.
Phaidon, is eager to share Plant with botanical artists and the natural science illustrators. They are extending a limited time special offer: 30% off the purchase price plus free shipping in the United States for arrival in six to seven days. Plant normally retails for $59.95; the special price is $39.95 USD (Amazon is offering the book at a 16% discount, for $50.62).
Use this link to purchase the book and receive the special offer on Phaidon’s website: http://www.phaidon.com/plantoffer/
SPECIFICATIONS:
Format: Hardback
Size: 290 x 250 mm (11-3/8 x 9-7/8 in)
Pages: 352 pp
Illustrations: 300 Illustrations
ISBN: 9780714871486
Please contact Ellie Levine, Phaidon Executive Marketing Manager, North America if you know of an institution or organization who would like to receive a complimentary copy of Plant for their library, or if you are interested in purchasing multiple copies of the book.
Thank you to Britt Griswold, Guild of Natural Science Illustrators for letting us know about this wonderful offer!
About Phaidon (from their website):
Phaidon is the premier global publisher of the creative arts with over 1,500 titles in print. We work with the world’s most influential artists, chefs, writers and thinkers to produce innovative books on art, photography, design, architecture, fashion, food and travel, and illustrated books for children. Phaidon is headquartered in London and New York City.
by Jude Wiesenfeld and Janice Sharp
Last April Alexander Viazmensky (Sasha) and his students held their first Botanical Art Exhibition in St. Petersburg, Russia (see the article on page 9 of The Botanical Artist, the journal of the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) for June 2016, Volume 22, Issue 2, ISSN 1523-5165*).
Sasha Viazmensky demonstrating initial watercolor technique for painting a mushroom.
This October 19 – 21, 2016, Sasha came to teach a workshop about painting mushrooms for BAGSC artists. Held at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia, California, Sasha brought with him a wealth of knowledge on his speciality. His technique is largely wet on wet. He reiterated often that we should get ready to put the paint on the paper, then STOP and think about where we will place the paint before proceeding.
One thing we learned to observe is how many more gills appear at the edge of the mushroom that are thinner and closer together than the ones near the stem.
Sasha was an excellent and affable teacher. Each day we watched him demonstrate the techniques for different types of mushrooms. He spent a great deal of his time individually guiding each of us.
* The Botanical Artist is a quarterly publication for members of ASBA. Back publications are available to members for purchase. View a sample of The Botanical Artist.
Sasha demonstration of a Polypore Mushroom (fungi that grow on tree trunks).
Those in attendance were (from left to right):
Beth Stone, Gilly Shaeffer, Olga Eysymontt, Sasha, Cynthia Jackson, Janice Sharp and Bonnie Ash (missing from the photo are Pat Mark, Kathy Morgan and Jude Wiesenfeld).
These are examples of our work!
by Deb Shaw
Hunt 15th International Exhibition of Botanical Art and Illustration
Every three years the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) holds its annual conference in Pittsburgh, PA to coincide with the Hunt Institute’s International Exhibition. This year is no exception: the 15th International Exhibition will open on September 15, and will run through December 15, 2016.
The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation established the International Exhibition in 1964 with the purpose of supporting and encouraging contemporary botanical artists. The upcoming exhibition features 43 works by 43 different artists from 15 different countries. A few selected works from the exhibition can be viewed on the website.
![Cover of the Hunt 15th International Exhibition Catalog. Cover art: Soft Tree Fern, Dicksonia antarctica [Dicksonia antarctica Labillardière, Dicksoniaceae], watercolor on paper by Laurie Andrews (1936–), 2008, 76.5 × 56.5 cm, HI Art accession no. 8078, reproduced by permission of the artist.](https://bagscblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/hibd-15th-international-title.jpg?w=300&h=476)
Cover of the Hunt 15th International Exhibition Catalog. Cover art: Soft Tree Fern, Dicksonia antarctica [Dicksonia antarctica Labillardière, Dicksoniaceae], watercolor on paper by Laurie Andrews (1936–), 2008, 76.5 × 56.5 cm, HI Art accession no. 8078, reproduced by permission of the artist.
The opening reception on October 13, from 6 pm – 9 pm is open to the public, and also is a highlight of the ASBA conference. The curators of the exhibition will give a short introduction to the exhibition in the gallery at 6:30 pm. Catalogues will be available for sale at the opening.
The Hunt Institute is located at: 4909 Frew Street, 5th Floor, Hunt Library. The exhibition will be on display on the 5th floor of the Hunt Library building at Carnegie Mellon University and will be open to the public free of charge. Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m.; Sunday, 1–4 p.m. (except 20 November and 24–27 November). Because the Hunt’s hours of operation are occasionally subject to change, please call or email before your visit to confirm. For further information, contact the Hunt Institute at 412-268-2434, or email.
Early Bird Registration for the 22nd Annual ASBA Meeting and Conference CLOSES AUGUST 7, 2016!
The deadline for early registration discounts for the 22nd Annual ASBA Meeting and Conference closes on August 7, 2016. Early registration fees (on or before August 7) are $360. Register now online. After August 7, registration jumps to $425. Registration closes September 4, 2016, no exceptions.
Join ten other BAGSC members who have registered for the conference so far. See old friends, meet new friends from all over the world, learn new techniques and get inspired.
The conference will be held at the Wyndham Pittsburgh University Center, just a few blocks from Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden, The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, The Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh. And, of course, there is the Hunt 15th Annual International Exhibition—one of the world’s most prestigious exhibitions of botanical art and a must-see.
BAGSC member Margaret Best will be teaching a one-day workshop on watercolor, “From the Ground Up.” BAGSC member Deborah Shaw will be giving an up-to-the-very-minute lecture about how to protect your images on the web, along with some tips and tricks and a list of helpful and fun apps.
There are still openings in various workshops, including graphite, colored pencil, and pen-and-ink. There are many fascinating lectures available at no additional charge. And there are openings available for a field trip to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater.
Read about the conference, sessions and instructors on ASBA’s website, make your selections, then go to the online registration site to register.
There are 193 ASBA members who have registered so far. Come join us in Pittsburgh!
by Deb Shaw
Prunus dulcis, Almond, watercolor by Margaret Best, © 2016, all rights reserved.
BAGSC members Margaret Best, Akiko Enokido, Asuka Hishiki, Mitsuko Schultz, and Deborah Shaw have been accepted into the 19th Annual International American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) and The Horticultural Society of New York.
Jurors Susan Fraser (Director, Mertz Library,The New York Botanical Garden), David Horak (Curator of the Aquatic House, Brooklyn Botanic Garden), and Catherine Watters (Botanical Artist) chose 48 artworks from 258 submissions. Works in the exhibition include artists from the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
Camellia japonica ‘Hakuho’, Heirloom Camellia ‘Hakuho’ ‘White Phoenix’, watercolor on vellum by Akiko Enokido, © 2015, all rights reserved.
This year’s exhibition is in a new venue: it will be hosted by the New York Design Center and installed in their bright, airy, contemporary gallery space, 1stDibs, on the tenth floor. The Horticultural Society of New York, New York Design Center, and ASBA are designing special outreach events and programs, to be announced in September.
The opening reception will take place on Thursday evening, November 3, 2016 and will be on display through December 30, 2016. The catalog of artwork images will be posted on ASBA’s website the day of the opening. A full-color catalog will be published and available on ASBA’s website, as well as at the 1stDibs Gallery and at The Horticultural Society of New York. For further information please contact ASBA’s Exhibitions Director.
1stDibs is located on the 10th Floor of The New York Design Center, 200 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York, 10018. Gallery Hours are 9:30 – 5:30 Monday – Friday.
Solanum lycopersicm, Dancing Duo 34-A, Portrait of an Heirloom Tomato, watercolor by Asuka Hishiki, © 2016, all rights reserved.
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Hibiscus, watercolor by Mitsuko Schultz, © 2016, all rights reserved.
Opuntia spp. Fruit, Tunas or Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit, watercolor on vellum by Deborah Shaw, © 2016, all rights reserved.
This notice of the Art Show appeared in the latest issue of the Arboretum Newsletter. Artwork by Diane Daly, © 2016, all rights reserved.
by Janice Sharp, posted by Deb Shaw
The Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California will present an exhibit of their work depicting Arboretum trees and flowers from July 16 to December 29 in the Arboretum Library at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. Meet the artists featured in Capturing the Arboretum: The Art of Botanical Illustration at a reception:
Saturday, July 16, 2016
1 pm – 3 pm in the Arboretum Library
Members of the local chapter of the American Society of Botanical Artists will demonstrate botanical art techniques including graphite, colored pencil and watercolor in the Library on two Saturdays, August 27 and September 24. Prints and cards will be sold during demonstrations, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Los Angeles Arboretum.
The Guild promotes public awareness of this artistic tradition.
BAGSC artists participating in The Art of Botanical Illustration include: Bonnie Born Ash, Cristina Baltayian, Diane Nelson Daly, Estelle DeRidder, Nancy Grubb, Cynthia Jackson, Arillyn Moran-Lawrence, Marilyn Parrino, Mitsuko Schultz, Janice Sharp, Deborah Shaw, and Beth Stone. Congrats to all!
The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden is located at: 301 North Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007, 626.821.3222.
The Arboretum Library is located within The Arboretum. Go straight through the double doors on the left (east) of the entrance rotunda.
Library Hours are from:
Tuesday-Friday 8:30 am to 5:30 pm
Saturday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
by Deb Shaw
Leucospermum cordifolium, Pincushion protea, colored pencil by Estelle DeRidder, © 2015, all rights reserved.
“The Beauty of Botanicals” exhibition has opened at OA Gallery in Kirkwood, Missouri (St. Louis area). Open exclusively to ASBA members for submissions, the juried show runs from June 3 through June 30, 2016. The Gallery is donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of artwork in the exhibition to ASBA.
Salvia spathacea, watercolor on paper by Joan Keesey, © 2016, all rights reserved.
BAGSC members Estelle DeRidder, Joan Keesey and Deborah Shaw had work accepted into the exhibition, and Estelle received an “Award of Merit” (see below).
Photos of the exhibition space can be found on ASBA’s website.
ASBA President Jody Williams gave a lecture at the Gallery about botanical art on Sunday, June 5: “More Beautiful Botanicals from Art, Nature, History and the Economy: a look at contemporary botanical art from recent exhibitions of the American Society of Botanical Artists.”
Congratulations to the award winners selected by Lisa Ober and Shawn Cornell, OA Gallery partners:
“Best in Show” went to Robert McNeill for his “Protea magnifica”.
“Awards of Excellence” went to Jeannetta vanRaalte for “Sunflower Awakening” and Dorothy Depaulo for “Aspen in Winter”.
Romneya coulteri, watercolor on paper by Joan Keesey, © 2016, all rights reserved.
“Awards of Merit” went to BAGSC member Estelle DeRidder for “Pincushion protea”, Karen Kluglein for “Two Narcissus Bulbs”, Lizzie Sanders for “Rhododendron ‘Waxen Bell'”, and Denise Walser-Kolar for “Hyacinth”.
Carrie Di Costanzo’s “Pussy Willows” received the “President’s Award,” selected by Dr. Peter Wyse Jackson, President of the Missouri Botanical Garden who was one of the jurors for the exhibition.
Solanium melongena, Ophelia and Calliope Miniature Eggplants, watercolor on vellum by Deborah Shaw. © 2016, all rights reserved; protected by Digimarc.
Congratulations to all of the artists whose work was accepted: milly acharya, Beverly Allen, Bobbi Angell, Victor Blakey, Monika De Vries Gohlke, Jeanne Debons, Dorothy Depaulo, Estelle DeRidder, Carrie Di Constanzo, Margaret Ellen Duarte, Margaret Farr, Ingrid Finnan, Pauline Goldsmith, Carol Hamilton, Ann Hoffenberg, Rose Marie James, Joan Keesey, Ku-mie Kim, Karen Kluglein, Patricia Luppino, Joan McGann, Robert McNeill, Carrie Megan, Deborah Montgomerie, Keiko Nibu Tarver, Hillary Parker, Sally Petru, Kelly Radding, Dick Rauh, Lizzie Sanders, Susan Sapanera, Deborah Shaw, Faye Van Wert, Jeanneatta van Raalte, Denise Walser-Kolar and Kerri Weller.
OA Gallery is located at: 101A W Argonne, Kirkwood, Missouri, 63122, 314-821-6241. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, noon – 5 pm, or by appointment.
by Deb Shaw
Blick Art Materials Bamboo Gallery Frame. Image courtesy of Blick Art Materials website.
Blick Art Materials is having a sale on a selection of their Bamboo Gallery Frames. Save 60 percent off list price for the 14 x 18, 16 x 20, and 24 x 36 sizes. The 16” x 20” (#18858-7916) is the frame specified for the upcoming BAGSC exhibition “Capturing the Arboretum: The Art of Botanical Illustration.”
Support ASBA while saving money! Go to the ASBA website > Support Us > Shop Dick Blick and click on the link (or click here: https://www.asba-art.org/support-us/dick-blick). ASBA receives a portion of your purchase price at dickblick.com when you link to their website from ASBA’s.
Questions about BAGSC exhibitions and framing? Contact Janice Sharp.
by Deb Shaw
Cover, “A Botanical Reader for the Curious Gardener”, James P. Folsom, © 2016, all rights reserved.
It’s here! Jim Folsom, has just published his ebook as of February 29, 2016: “A Botanical Reader for the Curious Gardener.” The Reader is a wealth of resources; Jim’s Botany for Artists is just one chapter in a line-up of content that Jim lists in his introduction:
- Introductions (Chapters 1, 2, and 3) explain the organization of the Reader, suggest places and activities of interest, and lay out overarching themes that pervade the study and cultivation of plants.
- The Literature Review presents some commonly available texts and resources, suggesting which might be most useful for different readers.
- In Botanical Terms is a series of short essays dedicated to highlights that showcase topics fundamental to plant science and eliminate barriers presented by useful but arcane botanical terminology.
- Conversational Botany is a Primer that tells the story of plants in textbook-style.
- Issues – Plants, Politics, & Practice includes background and discussion of topics that are part of today’s public discourse as well as transcriptions of presentations I give on current topics.
- An annotated Plant Trivia Timeline gives snippets of plant-related stories and discoveries in chronological sequence, so as to provide historical context to plant use and cultivation.”
- Hands-on Discovery suggests particular plants and instructive techniques that will help students make their own observations and learn-through-doing, which is the most effective and delightful method.
Excerpt From: James P, Folsom. “A Botanical Reader.” James P. Folsom, 2016. iBooks. https://itun.es/us/XDT5ab.l
Chapter from “A Botanical Reader”, listing “Botany for Artists” as one of the sections. James P. Folsom, © 2016.
Easy to read, this is a book of RESOURCES. In addition botany, horticulture, gardening, food, and the secret world of plants, Jim introduces his readers to his favorite Plant Destinations (where we can see the “wonders of the plant world”) and compiles a list with descriptions of the books we should have on our shelves and the websites we need to have bookmarked in our browsers.
ASBA and BAGSC members will be treated to a three-part series, starting in the March issue of The Botanical Artist, excerpted from Jim’s chapter, Botany for Artists.
The ebook is downloadable for free from iBooks, at https://itun.es/us/XDT5ab.l It’s listed in the category of Life Sciences, and is a
Jim Folsom lecturing during the “Weird, Wild & Wonderful Symposium.” Photo by Clara Josephs, © 2015, all rights reserved.
About Jim Folsom, Telleen/Jorgensen Director of the Botanical Gardens, The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
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 Jody Williams, posted by Deb Shaw
OA Gallery logo
A new ASBA exhibition opportunity has materialized rather quickly: OA Gallery, a fine art gallery specializing in representational art is hosting an international exhibition of botanical art open exclusively to members of ASBA in June, 2016.
The Beauty of Botanicals 2016
A Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Botanical Art
by Members of the American Society of Botanical Artists
They are offering a $1000 (US) prize for Best in Show and will be contributing 20 percent of sales to ASBA, as well as providing opportunities to promote ASBA and ASBA membership in conjunction with this event.
We are also excited that Dr. Peter Wyse Jackson, President of the Missouri Botanical Garden has agreed to be on the selection jury for this exhibition.
OA Gallery, Call for Entries, The Beauty of Botanicals 2016. © OA Gallery, 2016, all rights reserved.
Entries are due soon: April 3, 2016. As this is a gallery exhibition, you may enter artwork that has been exhibited in prior exhibitions, including ASBA exhibitions.
OA Gallery is located in Kirkwood, MO, a charming suburb of St. Louis with neighborhoods of turn-of-the-century homes, a thriving business community, and an active interest in the arts and gardening. OA Gallery has joined ASBA as an institutional member and one of their partners, Steve Morris (whose work was recently accepted into Filoli’s next exhibition) is an individual member of ASBA.
We hope that this will be a step toward increasing awareness of botanical art in the St. Louis region, already a world renowned hotbed of activity in the plant sciences, horticulture and agriculture, and lay some groundwork for our ASBA conference in St. Louis in 2018.
You can see the call for entries on the ASBA website or on OnlineJuriedShows.com, which OA Gallery is using to handle entries. More information about the exhibition can be seen on the following websites:
by Diane Daly, Alyse Ochniak, and Deb Shaw
We’ve added a new category to our BAGSC Blog; if you look in the left column, you will see a CALENDAR category. If you ever need a quick reference to a date, click the word “CALENDAR” and you will be taken directly to the listing below of important upcoming dates.
We will be updating the calendar constantly as we learn about new information. Something not there that should be? Email Deb Shaw. Corrections, edits, changes? Email Deb about those, too.
March:
1: Submissions can be sent for BAGSC Exhibition at Roger’s Gardens, “Looking for Flora”. Final submission deadline is April 23.
3: LA Arboretum Library walk-through with Susan Eubank (not a BAGSC event)
6: BAGSC Quarterly Meeting at UC Riverside Botanic Garden CANCELLED due to Rain (hooray for rain!) Watch the blog and email blasts to learn about rescheduling.
16: Deadline for submissions to “Focus on Nature: Natural and Cultural History Illustration Exhibition”. Visit the FON website for information and entry form.
19 and 20: Lee McCaffree Classes (two classes, one day each): A Painting! What Do You See? and Completing a Painting
April:
1: Submissions due for California Islands Symposium, “Island Art Exhibition”. (not a BAGSC event) Details for submission can be found at http://www.californiaislands.net/island-art-exhibition/
3: Submissions due for ASBA Exhibition: “The Beauty of Botanicals”, at the OA Gallery in St. Louis, Missouri. See information on the ASBA website, https://www.asba-art.org/calls-for-entries/beauty-botanicals
5: Opening of Filoli Exhibition, which runs from April 5 – June 12. (not a BAGSC event)
17: Submissions due to Beth Stone: BAGSC Exhibition, “Everything is Coming Up Roses”, Descanso Gardens
23: Submission deadline for BAGSC Exhibition, “Looking for Flora”, Roger’s Gardens
23: Silverpoint at Destination: Art! with Morgan Kari (not a BAGSC event), 9:30 – 3:30
29: Deliver artwork for BAGSC Descanso Exhibition “Everything is Coming Up Roses” (on or before April 29).
29 – May 1: Christina Baltayian’s class has a Botanical Art show at the LA Arboretum (not a BAGSC event)
May:
6: Submissions due for 19th Annual International ASBA and Horticultural Society of New York exhibition. See information on ASBA’s website, http://asba-art.org
7: Opening reception for BAGSC member Estelle DeRidder’s exhibition at Theodore Payne Foundation, “Scientific Illustrations of California Native Plants and Pollinators”. (not a BAGSC event)
14 – 15: BAGSC Exhibition, Descanso Gardens, “Everything is Coming Up Roses”. Demonstrations at Descanso Gardens.
16: Drop off accepted artwork to Roger’s Gardens.
21: Roger’s Gardens Opening of BAGSC Exhibition, “Looking for Flora”. Demonstrations at Roger’s Gardens.
21 – June 5: Roger’s Gardens BAGSC Exhibition , “Looking for Flora”will run from May 21 – June 5, 2016
June:
3: Opening reception for ASBA “The Beauty of Botanicals” at the OA Gallery in St. Louis, Missouri.
3 – 30: Exhibition dates for ASBA “The Beauty of Botanicals” at the OA Gallery in St. Louis, Missouri.
4: BAGSC Quarterly Meeting: Special garden tour at a private Pasadena-area home garden. The meeting will follow at noon in the Bamboo Room at the Los Angeles County Arboretum.
6: Pick up artwork from Roger’s Gardens.
5 and 19: Deborah Shaw is teaching at The Getty, “Drawing from the Masters: Nature Journaling”. (not a BAGSC event)
12: Filoli Exhibition closes.
15: Submissions due for BAGSC’s LA Arboretum Library Exhibition, “Capturing the Arboretum: The Art of Botanical Illustration.”
July:
3-9: GNSI Conference in Santa Cruz, Ca. All are encouraged to come. Information and registration web address will be posted as soon as it is available. Advance information is available at: http://gnsi.org
6: Last day to submit images and entry forms for California Islands Symposium, “Island Art Exhibition”. (not a BAGSC event) Details for submission can be found at http://www.californiaislands.net/island-art-exhibition/
16: Opening reception for BAGSC’s LA Arboretum Library Exhibition, “Capturing the Arboretum: The Art of Botanical Illustration,” 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm.
16 – December 29, 2016: Exhibition dates for BAGSC’s LA Arboretum Library Exhibition, “Capturing the Arboretum: The Art of Botanical Illustration.”
17: Deborah Shaw is teaching at The Getty, in conjunction with The Getty’s exhibition “Unruly Nature: The Landscapes of Théodore Rousseau”, “Drawing from the Masters: Drawing Trees”. (not a BAGSC event)
30: Lesley Randall is teaching a workshop entitled “Mixed Media Botanical Art” at the San Diego Botanic Garden. (not a BAGSC event)
August:
12: Submission Deadline for BAGSC San Diego Botanic Garden “Cornucopia” Exhibition.
September:
11: BAGSC Quarterly Meeting
23: BAGSC San Diego Botanic Garden, “Cornucopia” Exhibition. Install and opening reception. BAGSC demonstrations.
23 – November 18: BAGSC San Diego Botanic Garden, “Cornucopia” Exhibition.
October:
3 – November 6: California Islands Symposium, “Island Art Exhibition” open to the public in Ventura, California (until October 7) and then in Santa Barbara, California (from October 9 – November 6). (not a BAGSC event)
13 – 15: ASBA Annual Conference, Pittsburgh
November:
1: Submissions can be sent for “Out of the Woods: Celebrating Trees in Public Gardens”, the Third New York Botanical Garden Triennial. Submissions will be accepted through April 28, 2017. See information on ASBA’s website, http://asba-art.org
November 6: Closing date for California Islands Symposium, “Island Art Exhibition”, Santa Barbara, California (from October 9 – November 6). (not a BAGSC event)
7 – 11: Anne-Marie Evans workshop at Virginia Robinson Gardens (not a BAGSC event)
18: “Incredible Edibles” exhibition closes at San Diego Botanic Gardens.
December:
3: BAGSC Quarterly Meeting and Party
Important 2017 Dates to Track:
January, 2107
BAGSC Outreach Program to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Laguna Woods Garden Club in Orange County. An anticipated 100 Laguna Woods members will be participating.
October, 2017:
ASBA Annual Conference, San Francisco
2018:
BAGSC Exhibition at Chapman University, Leatherby Libraries. Theme is invasive plants.
by Melanie Campbell-Carter, posted by Deb Shaw
It’s time to renew your membership in ASBA and BAGSC!
Member Renewals
An email reminder will be distributed at the first of the year, but the sooner the better for renewing your membership! All renewals are handled through the ASBA website, and the Membership Chair is notified of renewals only after they are processed by the ASBA. Therefore, it is conceivable that some delay may occur between a member’s online transaction and BAGSC’s awareness of that renewal. Please notify the ASBA or Melanie (BAGSC Membership Chair) if you feel your renewal may have gotten “lost” in cyberspace.
How to Renew:
The ASBA website renewal has been revised, and it’s much clearer and easier!
- Go to the ASBA Home Page
- Click on Membership, then
- Join/Renew Now (or simply click “Join/Renew Now on this line and get taken directly there)
- (Make membership selections)
Most of us will go through the following drill:
Select:
- Myself >
- Renewing >
- United States >
- Join a chapter >
- BAGSC
- Checkout – $100 for one US membership plus BAGSC; international membership is $125 (US) for one US membership plus BAGSC
Once you go through the process, you will be given the opportunity to join multiple chapters if you would like, and make donations to ASBA and to the chapters you join.
In case of confusion or problems:
- If you joined ASBA but forgot to join BAGSC, it is easy to fix. From the Home Page, go through Membership to Join/Renew Now. Toward the bottom, there is a link for those who have already paid their 2016 ASBA dues but failed to join a chapter. Click there and proceed.
- If you have difficulty with the website, please email Melanie or contact ASBA directly. Help is available!
BAGSC had seventeen renewals for 2016 in November. These “early birds” are setting a great example for us all. Please get your renewal done as soon as you can. We have a great calendar for 2016 with lots of great member events and opportunities!
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.
BAGSC News 