You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘BAGSC’ tag.
by Joan Keesey; photography by John Keesey, posted by Deb Shaw
Joan Keesey in Fern Canyon at Descanso Gardens with Coast Live Oaks
Yesterday John and I visited Descanso Gardens to check out the two art exhibitions currently on display there. In the Sturt Haaga Gallery the exhibit, “The WILD Flowers”, is a collection of works by seventeen contemporary California artists. Concurrently, contemporary botanical illustrations are being presented in the Boddy House; these paintings are provided by five members of the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California (BAGSC): Joan Keesey, Sue Kuuskmae, Gilly Shaeffer, Janice Sharp, and Deborah Shaw.
It was a beautiful clear and crisp day, and although it is still winter, Descanso Gardens was very lovely; the magnificent Coast Live Oaks (Quercus agrifolia) provide the perfect canopy for the garden’s remarkable collection of Camellias, many of which were blooming.
Penelope Gottlieb, “Flowers Gone WILD”
I hadn’t really expected to like the exhibit, “The WILD Flowers”. I couldn’t conceive of how an artist could invent flowers that were more wild and astonishing than real flowers, but the pictures were very imaginative, technically accomplished, and fun. Many of them, like Potentilia multijuja by Penelope Gottlieb, included recognizable flowers and plants. I was told that Ms. Gottlieb always includes a flower that is no longer in existence.
Gary Brewer, “Flowers Gone WILD”
Maura Bendett, “Flowers Gone WILD”
There was one video that had bubble-gum and aqua colored slime dripping from slowly opening lilies—not sure what that was all about.
Sue Kuuskmae in the Gunroom.
The botanical paintings by BAGSC members were very thoughtfully displayed and illuminated in the Hall and the Gunroom of the Boddy House. Without knowing that I was involved the docent was very enthusiastic about and complementary of our
More Action in the Gunroom — Gilly Shaeffer & Janice Sharp.
pictures. Several visitors took pictures of our pictures. I am impressed and proud that BAGSC has been able to provide quality paintings for the three concurrently running botanical exhibitions in Southern California: “Botanical Visions” at the San Diego Botanical Garden, “Drought Tolerant Beauty” at Chapman University, and “Contemporary Botanical Illustrations” at Descanso Gardens.
Sue Kuuskmae, Deborah Shaw & Joan Keesey in the Hallway.
by Deb Shaw
There’s been a change in the meeting date for February. It will now be on February 9th, instead of February 2. A group email blast will be sent out shortly with details and the agenda for the meeting.
So, the BAGSC quarterly meetings for 2013 plus the holiday party are now as follows:
- February 9
- April 20
- June 29
- September 14
- and the December 7 Holiday Party (no meeting included, just eating, drinking, and enjoying ourselves)
Let us know of any workshops or presentations you would like to see at one of the meetings.
Keep your eyes peeled for blog and email announcements of classes, workshops, activities and exhibitions. Next year will start off with a lot happening in January, and lots more to come. It promises to be an exciting year!
by Janice Sharp
JANUARY 15 – MARCH 31, 2013 at
Descanso Gardens in the Sturt Haaga Gallery
The WILD Flowers presents work by 17 contemporary artists who live and work in California. The show was conceived and curated to complement the exhibition When They Were Wild, which opens March 9, 2013, at the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens.
Running concurrently with the WILD Flowers are works of contemporary botanical illustration provided by the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California. This exhibit is presented in the Boddy House’s Heritage Gallery and features selected works by Suzanne Kuuskmae, Joan Keesey, Janice Sharp, Deborah Shaw, and Gilly Shaeffer.
Both exhibits are free with admission and open during regular business hours: the Sturt Haaga Gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Mondays.
by Diane Daly and Deb Shaw
The Chapman University exhibition and opening reception are coming together! Diane Daly was interviewed by Julie Bawden-Davis for the Old Towne Orange Plaza Review. Read the column “Botanical Art” in Garden Clippings.
Front side of Announcement/Invitation postcard for the “Drought Tolerant Beauty” exhibition at Chapman University.
The announcement postcards/opening reception invitation have been printed for “Drought Tolerant Beauty: Artists and Students Respond to California’s Changing Environment”.
The 5″ x 7″ postcards are available for BAGSC members to send to their mailing lists. Please let Deb know the quantity you would like to receive by Friday, 18 January. A BAGSC team will package them all up on the weekend and put them in the mail for you by Monday.
by Lesley Randall, posted by Deb Shaw
Botanical Visions, an exhibition of botanical art by ten members of the Botanical Artist Guild of Southern California (BAGSC), opens this weekend in the Ecke Building of the San Diego Botanic Garden. Guild members produce scientifically accurate as well as beautiful botanical pieces. The exhibit will feature paintings, drawings and prints in watercolor, pen and ink, graphite and colored pencil.
Come meet the artists at the opening reception, Saturday, January 12th, 2013, from 5:00 – 7:00 pm. The reception is free and open to the public.
The exhibit will be open during regular garden hours, January 13 – March 23, 2013.
Exhibiting members include: Estelle DeRidder, Linda Ericksen, Polly Jones, Joan Keesey, Lesley Randall, Gilly Shaeffer, Janice Sharp, Deborah Shaw, Mitsuko Schultz and Patricia Van Osterhoudt.
The garden is located at 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, California. Exit off of the 5 freeway and head inland (up the hill). Turn left on Quail Gardens Drive. Go roughly 200 yards; the driveway is on the left (there is a big sign.)
by Janice Sharp, posted by Deb Shaw
As you know, BAGSC has produced the first round of the Arboretum Introduction card collection. To get a very good rate for the production of the cards we bought a relatively large number.
We would like to offer members the opportunity to buy copies of the cards, with envelopes and boxes at a price of:
$2.00 per card, in packs of 5 (5 different cards/pack), $10/pack; or,
in packs of 10 (2 cards each of the 5 different cards/pack) $20 per pack.
The cards are beautiful and include a description of the Arboretum, BAGSC, the image and artist on the back. This is a very good price for high quality cards (I know I cannot produce cards at this price). See the original article about the cards, with an image, at https://bagscblog.com/2012/12/13/update-on-the-arboretum-introductions-project/
If you would like to buy cards contact Janice Sharp with the number of cards you want to purchase.
We are continuing to print additional cards as members paint the LA Arboretum introductions. Please contact Janice with information about any paintings you are doing. A list of LA Arboretum introductions can be found on our blog at: https://bagscblog.com/2012/09/03/call-for-images-of-the-los-angeles-county-arboretum-and-botanical-garden-introductions/
A map of the introductions is at: https://bagscblog.com/2012/10/06/google-map-of-la-arboretum-plant-introductions/
by Janice Sharp
The initial five-pack of LA Arboretum Introduction cards include cards by Cristina Baltayian, Akiko Enokido, and Janice Sharp. The cards are blank inside for messages; the back has text about the Los Angeles Arboretum, BAGSC, the plant, and the artist.
BAGSC has been asking its Members to “donate” the use of images they may have, or will create, to be included in an “Arboretum Introduction” card collection. So far we have put together a test run of five cards that are now on sale in the Los Angeles Arboretum Gift Store. The cards have been well received and we are moving forward with the project. If you have Introduction plants you have painted/drawn and would like to have them included in this project please contact Janice Sharp or Deborah Shaw.
For those who have painted plants and are not sure if they are “Introductions”, please contact Deborah to send a digital image, or mail a print to me and I will take them to the botanists at the Arboretum to get an opinion as to whether they are “Introduction” plants.
Read about the LA Arboretum Introduction project and see the Google map to the plants at the Arboretum on the BAGSC blog by clicking the links in this sentence.
For those who have found the Google map difficult to use to locate the Introductions contact Janice Sharp and she will arrange a tour of the Arboretum to find the Introductions.
by Deb Shaw
BAGSC is scheduling a full four quarterly meetings for 2013 plus the holiday party:
- February 2, (If “A Day of Art at Roger’s Gardens” is rained out, February 2 will be the alternate date. If that happens, BAGSC members will be notified and the meeting date will be moved — February 3 is a possibility)
- April 20,
- June 29,
- September 15,
- and the December 7 Holiday Party (no meeting included, just eating, drinking, and enjoying ourselves)
Would you like to host one of the meetings? Please contact Leslie. Also let us know of any workshops or presentations you would like to see at one of the meetings.
Keep your eyes peeled for blog and email announcements of classes, workshops, activities and exhibitions. Next year will start off with a lot happening in January, and lots more to come. It promises to be an exciting year!
by Diane Daly and Clara Josephs, posted by Deb Shaw
January’s coming up fast, and the Chapman University Leatherby Library Drought Tolerant Plant Exhibition will be upon us (along with all the other exhibition opportunities we have stacked up for the month — but more on those later!).
Students from Jennifer Funk‘s Ecology course currently are writing descriptions of the plants’ drought-tolerant traits now. We are planning to have at least one species that fits into each of the following seven categories:
- Drought-deciduousness (plants that lose their leaves during the dry season, or during periods of dryness)
- Small leaves (better adapted to dry soils and conditions)
- Deep taproot (a tap root that penetrates deep into the ground can access water when it is scarce during a drought or dry conditions, as well as store water in the root)
- Succulent leaves (thick, fleshy leaves and stems can store water)
- Pubescent leaves (pubescent, or furry leaves can slow the air flowing over the leaf to reduce water evaporation, hold water, reflect sunlight, and provide shade for the surface of the leaf)
- Evergreen, sclerophylous leaves (evergreen leaves, of course, stay on the plant year-round; sclerophylous leaves have a hard surface and are frequently spaced close together
- Annual life habit (one way to avoid dry periods is to quickly grow, bloom and develop seeds during the wet season, skipping the dry season altogether!)
Important Deadlines:
- Artist entry deadline: January 11 (BAGSC needs the list for handouts, Chapman University needs the list for labels and insurance)
- Set up show in Henley reading room: January 25
- Reception: February 7 , 7-9 pm
- Take down the show: February 25
All BAGSC members will receive an email with the official BAGSC “Call for Entries” packet. If you do not receive this email with the attachment by 30 November, please contact Deb.
Drought Tolerant Plant Choices for the Chapman Exhibition
The following are plants that BAGSC members are planning to submit. Botanical and common names, of course, will need to be reviewed and verified. Don’t worry if you have to change your mind, or if you’re already painting something that someone else is painting on the list below. This is a preliminary list and is not set in cement. Space allowing, species duplicates will be accepted (see the Call for Entries packet).
Arillyn Moran-Lawrence:
Dudleya Farinosa; Salvia Chamaedroyides, Electric blue sage; Desert Marigold, Baileya multiradiata; Echeveria graptoveria or Kalanchoe thyrsiflora
Bonnie Ash:
Agave Utahensis var. nevadensis; Pacific Mist Manzanita, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Linda Ericksen:
Prickly pear cactus, Opuntia
Joan Keesey:
California Buckeye Flower, Aesculus californica; Flannel Bush, Fremontodendron; California Poppy Eschscholzia californica; Foothill Penstemon, Penstemon heterophyllus; or Heart Leaf Penstemon, Keckiella cordiforlia; Toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia; Bush Monkey Flower, Mimulus aurantiacus
Patricia VanOsterhoudt:
Crape Myrtle, Lagerstroemai indica; Columbine Aquilegia; Yucca
Sue Kuuskmae:
Fortnight Lily Dietus vegeta; Rock Rose Kalanchoe; Toyonberry; Matilija poppy, Romneya coulteri
Estelle DeRidder:
Coastal Prickly Pear, Opuntia littoralis; Baja Fairy Duster, Dalliandra eriophylla; California Live Oak, Quercus agrifolia; Chia, Salvia Columbriae
Clara Josephs:
Coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica; Topsy Turvy, Echeveria; Bladderpod, Isomeris arborea
Diane Daly:
Island Alum Root, Heuchera maxima; Seaside Daisy, Erigeron glaucus; Bird of Paradise, Caesalpinia pulcherrima
Carmen Lindsay:
Bladder Sage; Ocotillo; Buckwheat
Veronica Raymond:
Coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica; Bladderpod, Isomeris arborea; Nevins Barberry, Mahonia nevinii; Englemann Oak Quercus engelmannii
Cristina Baltayian:
Lemon, C. limon; Bougainvillea; Fig, Ficus carica L. (Brown turkey); Olives, Olea europaea; Cabernet grape vitis vinfera L.; Pomegranate, Punica granatum
Mitsuko Shultz:
Nevins Barberry, Berberis nevinii; California Sycamore, Platanus racemosa
Patricia Mark:
Manfreda masculosa; Aeonium
Deborah Shaw:
Dudleya pulverulenta, Chalk Dudleya; Dudleya viscida, Sticky Dudleya; Arctostaphylos glauca, Big Berry Manzanita
Add your name and plants to the list: contact Diane.
It’s shaping up to be a great show!!!
by Leslie Walker, posted by Deb Shaw
Here is another show opportunity for BAGSC members. Descanso Gardens has asked us to exhibit paintings of Wild Flowers from January through March — exact dates to come later.
Paintings for the exhibition must be originals, framed and matted, and can have been shown elsewhere.
Contact Leslie with information regarding which wild flowers you would like to exhibit, and how many paintings you might have for this show as soon as possible.
More information will be passed on to you as it is received.
by Janice Sharp, Leslie Walker and Deb Shaw
BAGSC members are invited, with their significant others, to join BAGSC for a night of eating, drinking and merrymaking(!) on:
Saturday, December 8th
Janice’s house
5:00 pm – whenever
Janice is sending out a paperless invitation via email (you should have already received it). R.S.V.P to Janice via the paperless invite by December 1st, or via email.
As always, our BAGSC holiday event will be a POTLUCK DINNER. Please indicate if you will bring an appetizer, side dish (to accompany ham and turkey) or dessert on your R.S.V.P.
We will hold a very brief meeting, and a silent auction of art materials and books (so bring money). If you have something you would like to contribute to the auction, please contact Leslie.
Please also bring any artwork (or any other creative endeavors) you’ve been working on for the past year to show in our “mini-sharing show” again — it was a lot of fun to see everyone’s work last year.
See you there!
by Janice Sharp, posted by Deb Shaw
When you first click on the link in the story to the Google map of the locations of Arboretum introductions, this is what you’ll see; a list of all the plants with their locations as dots on the map. Click on “Satellite” view in the upper right corner of the map to see the information displayed over a photographic map.
For all of us who are painting the plants introduced by the Los Angeles Arboretum (or even those of us who want to find those plants from the list), we have a link to a Google map of the locations of Arboretum introductions throughout the grounds (thank you Frank!).
This this data is about five years old, so some plants from our list may be missing from the map, but it’s a great start. When you open the site, click on “satellite” view and zoom in. Then you’ll be able to see the paths and roads in the Arboretum, which will make it easier to find things and find your way around.
Questions? Contact Janice Sharp.
Happy painting!
In the “Satellite” view, zoom in to see the roads, paths and familiar landmarks of the Arboretum grounds.
Click on the red pin marker next to a plant name you’re interested in, and the plant information will pop up on the map where the plant is located. Or, click on any red marker pin on the map, and the plant information will pop up there, too.
By Janice Sharp and Deborah Shaw
Akiko Enokido painted this watercolor of Chorisia speciosa, Floss Silk Tree, at the Los Angeles County Arboretum. The LA Arboretum has introduced four varieties of Chorisia speciosa. © Akiko Enokido, 2009, all rights reserved.
Starting in 1957 and continuing to the present, The Arboretum has been responsible for the introduction of plants to Southern California from around the world (click here to download a list of the plants: LaArboretumPlantIntros). Many of these plants are now indispensible elements in our Southern California Gardens.
Recently, BAGSC members donated cards to make boxed collections for Richard Schulhof (Arboretum CEO) to take as gifts for officials he met on a trip to South Korea. Most of the images used on these cards were of Arboretum Introductions. At the end of the trip a few remaining boxes were placed in the Arboretum Gift Shop for sale. The Gift Shop, Arboretum staff and Foundation Board members, as well as the general public, are very interested in having “Arboretum Plant” note cards stocked in the Gift Shop.
The Arboretum is a good friend of BAGSC, providing class space at very reasonable rates and access to a huge selection of plants. As a result, our members have already painted many plants on the Introduction list or will paint them in the future.
BAGSC is asking its Members to “donate” the use of images they may have, or will create, to be included in an “Arboretum Introduction” card collection. Deborah Shaw is setting up a project area for BAGSC members to upload their high-resolution images, or they can be mailed to her on disc. Each finished card will include:
- the Name of the Artist with the appropriate copyright notice;
- the plant name and the year it was introduced;
- a description of the Arboretum;
- and a description of BAGSC.
Images “donated” will be used ONLY for the purpose of this “Arboretum Introduction” card collection. BAGSC will produce and box the cards. They will be sold to the Arboretum Gift Shop at a modest markup over our costs of production. The profit will go to BAGSC’s general funds.
In addition, the Arboretum Library is to undergo an extensive facelift in the near future. When the work is completed we hope to have an art show featuring the Arboretum Introduction artwork.
If you are interested in participating in this project contact Janice Sharp or Deborah Shaw. Deb will email instructions for uploading images to the web project area.
by Leslie Walker, posted by Deb Shaw
Anita Walsmit Sachs in her studio. © Anita Walsmit Sachs
Anita is an experienced Scientific Illustrator and teacher who is coming from the Netherlands to teach this very special class on October 12, 13, and 14. For a complete biography and an opportunity to see her work, visit her website.
Each student will select and bring to class a plant they wish to draw and get to know intimately.
The first day you will get to know the plant by study, making dissections, using a microscope and drawing.
The second day will be spent making a composition and deciding the technique you wish to work in. This can be in pencil, watercolor or pen and ink which will make it a scientific piece.
The last day we will try to finish our drawing or painting.
The teaching will be individual. Some experience would be nice.
The cost of this three day class on October 12, 13 and 14, will be $300. The cost for non-members is $350. Space will be held upon receipt of a $50.00 non-refundable deposit. Final payment is due to Leslie by September 28. A list of materials and a suggested reading list will be sent by email, upon payment of deposit. Checks should be made out to “BAGSC” and sent to Janice. Questions? Contact Leslie until August 31 or Janice after August 31.
The class will be held October 12, 13 & 14, from 9:30 to 3:30 each day at Sally Jacobs’ Studio.
You don’t want to miss this wonderful opportunity. Class size is limited, so register as soon as you can.
by Deb Shaw
BAGSC members will be exhibiting in a non-juried show at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden for “GROW! A Garden Festival” on May 4, 5 and 6, 2012. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to show and/or sell your work, whether you’re a new member or a founding member!
Call for Entry packets were emailed out to all members in February; a reminder email packet will be emailed along with the posting of this blog reminder. Entry forms and a check for $35.00 per person must be sent to Janice Sharp by April 18th. Artwork must be delivered to a designated BAGSC show committee member before May 4th, or directly to the Arboretum on May 4th. Details will be sent out to participants.
Janice Sharp and Norma Sarkin are co-chairs of the L. A. Arboretum Show, and Pat Mark has agreed to assist. As always, we’ll need lots of volunteers. Watch for more information and finish up your paintings!
BAGSC News 