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Posted by Deb Shaw
Denver Botanic Gardens
The Denver Botanic Gardens has announced that applications are open for their 2016 artist in residency program. The Summer2016 residency provides an opportunity for the selected illustrator/artist to get involved in a variety of activities at the Denver Botanic Gardens, including open studios, demonstrations and educational projects in the classroom or the Science Pyramid, to online documentation and educational outreach. Last year’s artist in residence was Ikumi Kayama, who you might have met at the “Weird, Wild & Wonderful” Symposium at The Huntington last summer.
There are two residency opportunities, each for a period of six weeks:
June 13 – July 22 OR
August 8 – September 22
Read more about the application process, deliverables, copyright ownership, and funding on the Denver Botanic Garden’s website.
The closing date for submissions for the Denver Botanic Gardens artist in residency program is February 29, 2016. The selection process will be completed by March 4, 2016.
The Denver Botanic Gardens are located at: 1007 York Street, Denver, CA 80206.
Artist-at-Sea Program
It’s not botanical art, but if you’re dreaming of getting away from it all, the Schmidt Ocean Institute is looking for artists of broad disciplines to work with scientists and the ship’s crew aboard the Falkor. In February, the Falkor will sail out of Tahiti to study the underexplored submarine vents off the Society Islands in the South Pacific Ocean.
View all the details on the Schmidt Ocean website. Bookmark the website to view other opportunities as they arise.
The application deadline is January 10, 2016.
by Mervi Hjelmroos-Koski, posted by Deb Shaw
The Denver Botanic Gardens’ School of Botanical Art has openings for three botanical artists/illustrators for their artist-in-residence program. Each residency is for one of the following six-week periods in 2015: April 20 – May 29; June 15 – July 24; August 10 – September 18. Accepted illustrators/artists are expected to spend five days per week on site at the Denver Botanic Gardens, although it can vary depending on agreement with the Gardens.
On-site resources include outdoor studio space, access to the Gardens’ library, herbaria, classroom and Science Pyramid. Residency contributions can include:
- online blog participation
- Open Studios and presentation of works-in-progress
- work produced during the residency
- educational workshops
- demonstrations to the public
The residency provides a stipend of $3,000. for each of the selected illustrator/artists to be used for housing and materials. One completed original work from each illustrator/artist will become property of Denver Botanic Gardens.
Applications are due by March 16, 2015. The application form may be found on the Denver Botanic Gardens’ School of Botanical Art blog, at: http://www.botanicalillustration.blogspot.com/2015/01/2015-illustratorartist-in-residence.html. Selections will be announced March 30, 2015. Applications should be emailed with “Illustrator in Residency 2015” in the subject line.
by Beth Stone, posted by Deb Shaw

Laurence Pierson demonstrating her beautiful egg tempera technique. The camera/light in the foreground is the one mentioned in the article. Photo by Beth Stone.
At the Denver Botanic Gardens, Laurence Pierson demonstrated egg tempera on gesso panel. She mixes dry pigment with water using a colour shaper, adds a bit of alcohol if the particular pigment requires it to dissolve, and mixes in a bit of egg yolk.
Laurence’s background is in painting icons, typically on wood panel prepared with gesso and often including gold leaf. She applies her skill with tempera to botanical subjects with beautiful results!
The camera used in this photo seemed particularly effective for teaching, see the Ladibug DC192 on http://www.lumens.com.tw/product_1.php?big_id=1
by Deb Shaw
BAGSC Member Estelle DeRidder participated in the illustration of “Denver’s Canopy – The Nature of Deciduous Trees.” Released by the Denver Botanic Gardens, the publication is a tribute to Dr. Moras Shubert, in celebration of his 100th birthday and his service to the Denver Botanic Gardens and the Denver community. The deciduous trees of the Denver area have been a life-long passion of Dr. Shubert, who had the vision for this lavishly visual, limited edition book (225 copies).
The call for entries went out during the first week of February 2012 with a submission deadline of February 29, 2012. Artists had less than 4 weeks to create their illustrations!
Estelle submitted two illustrations: a Liquid Amber, and a Honey Locust.
The senior author of “Denver’s Canopy” is Sonia John; contributing authors are Panayoti Kelaidis and Martin F. Quigley. The 86 pages feature photographs and more than 30 botanical illustrations by Estelle DeRidder, Jan Boyd Haring, Marjorie Leggitt, Katherine McCrery, Randy Raak, Heidi Snyder and Amy Weinstein. Illustrations were done in a wide variety of media, including graphite, colored pencil, watercolor and pen and ink.
Congratulations to the Denver Botanic Gardens and illustrators for a wonderful project! And a very Happy Birthday to Dr. Shubert!