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by Suzanne Kuuskmae, posted by Deb Shaw
Suzanne Kuuskmae will be starting private botanical drawing/painting lessons next week in her expanded studio area. Destination: Art also has a beautiful exhibit, Spring Fling, on view this month, Thursdays – Saturdays, from 11am – 5pm, and Sundays, 12pm – 4pm.
Destination: Art hosts workshops in the gallery. On May 8, 2018 there will be a meeting and afternoon paint-in for the Paletteers Art Group. Information about classes, workshops and exhibit space for individuals or groups of artists is available on the Destination: Art website: Destination-art.net
Destination: Art is located at 1815 West 213th Street, #135, Torrance, California 90501. Check it out!
Suzanne Kuuskmae’s newly expanded studio at Destination: Art.
Suzanne Kuuskmae’s newly expanded studio at Destination: Art.
Suzanne Kuuskmae’s newly expanded studio at Destination: Art.
Suzanne Kuuskmae’s newly expanded studio at Destination: Art.
by Teri Kuwahara, posted by Deb Shaw
Sue Kuuskmae, photo by Melanie Campbell-Carter, © 2016.
BAGSC members Suzanne Kuuskmae and Teri Kuwahara have botanical paintings in the 2016 Annual Juried Show of the South Bay Watercolor Society. A reception was held on May 15. BAGSC members Melanie Campbell-Carter and Nancy Grubb drove to Torrance to lend their support.
South Bay Watercolor Society includes all water media. The 2016 show was juried by Williellyn McFarland, former President of the National Watercolor Society and Signature Member of Watercolor West.
Sue Kuuskmae has two of her beautiful works, “Magnolia Tree” and “Red Lanterns” in the show.
Teri Kuwahara with her prize-winning painting of a French Breakfast Radish, photo by Alvin Takamori, © 2016.
Vegetables grown in the Torrance Memorial Medical Center Learning Garden were the subjects for both of Teri Kuwahara’s paintings: “Purple Pole Bean” and “(French Breakfast) Radish” which received an Honorable Mention Ribbon and cash prize.
The show continues through June 24 at South Bay Lexus located at 24777 Crenshaw Boulevard in Torrance. Their gallery showroom is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and closed on Sundays.
Teri Kuwahara pictured with SBWS Chairman Etty Andreani. Photo by Alvin Takamori, © 2016.
by Suzanne Kuuskmae, posted by Deb Shaw
Albrecht Dürer, Two seated lions, 1521, silverpoint on paper prepared with a light tone, located in Kupferstichkabinett Berlin. Downloaded from Wikimedia Commons: this work is in the public domain in the United States and in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or less.
Silverpoint has been used by artists to draw since the late Gothic/early Renaissance; a silverpoint drawing is made by drawing with a sharpened silver (or copper or gold!) stylus (thick wire) across a prepared surface. Some well-known artists who worked in silverpoint include Jan van Eyck, Leonardo da Vinci, and Albrecht Dürer.
Destination: Art in Torrance will hold a silverpoint workshop taught by Morgan Kari on Saturday, March 5, from 10 am – 3:00 pm, NEW REVISED DATE: Saturday, April 23, 9:30 – 3:00. Tuition is $60 with a supplies charge of $35. Morgan will bring supplies and know-how!; you will supply the drawing and watercolor paper.
The supplies from the workshop should last a long time after the workshop while you enjoy painting in silverpoint. In addition to showing silverpoint technique, Morgan also will demonstrate the use of black paper to enhance the silver etching and create a different look. It is a fit for botanical artists: all you need is the outline of your drawing, which can be a plant or flower you have already done, or a new one. The drawing outline is traced in dark pen, placed under the prepared paper on a light box, and drawn using the same silverpoint strokes that will be covered during the workshop. Using a light box is a big help! If you have a portable lightbox, please bring it to the workshop. We also will have two at the studio to use.
Questions, or to register, email Suzanne Kuuskmae or call her as listed in the BAGSC roster.
Destination: Art is located at 1815 W. 213th Street, #135, Torrance, CA 90501, (310) 742-3192, right next to the Bubble Bath Car Wash.
by Suzanne Kuuskmae, posted by Deb Shaw
Red Lilies, watercolor on paper, © 2015, Suzanne Kuuskmae, all rights reserved.
Currently I have two botanical paintings out and about. One got into the Palos Verdes Art Center Show and is called “Red Lilies” and the other is in the Torrance Museum South Bay Focus Show and is called: “Camellias Next Door.” I think because no one around here is doing that kind of art, it attracts quite a bit of attention. I also sold two botanical this past few months: “Purple Iris,” and “Morning Glories.”
We are going to have a few openings in the gallery portion of our Destination: Art co-op so it might be that some other botanical artists might be interested in joining us? The cost is $60 a month for a 6 foot space.
Camellia #3, watercolor on paper, © 2015, Suzanne Kuuskmae, all rights reserved.
Our co-op did a Holiday Tree for the Torrance Memorial Hospital which took us all of October and November to put together as we hand-made all the ornaments. One group of ornaments was small 8 x 6 canvases on which we painted some of the old masters but with a Christmas touch, such as: Mona Lisa with a Santa’s hat. They turned out really well as one of our imaginative artists built frames for each one, and then we painted and put ribbon around each. He also cut out Christmas trees that we painted and decorated with shiny gems; a very labor intensive undertaking. Our tree sold right away at the Festival so we were able to make quite a nice sum for the Hospital plus make a name for our art group.
by Suzanne Kuuskmae, posted by Deb Shaw
Cristina Baltayian will be teaching a day-long (10 am – 4:00 pm) botanical colored pencil techniques class on July 11, 2015 at Destination: Art in Old Torrance. The cost will be $90 for the day; you can bring your lunch or we will order out.
Contact Suzanne Kuuskmae to sign up or get further information. Come enjoy our comfortable, co-op studio/gallery for the day.
We will have a second session on August 8!
Destination: Art is located at:
1815 West 213th Street, Suite 135
Torrance, California 90501
(310) 742-3192
Destination: Art Map and Directions
by Suzanne Kuuskmae, posted by Deb Shaw
Ripe Pineapple, watercolor on paper by Suzanne Kuuskmae, © 2014, all rights reserved.
Imagine my surprise when I was the only artist to get botanical work into the Torrance Art Museum Exhibition to be held through December. The paintings are: Ripe Pineapple (watercolor) and Epiphyllum (watercolor and pastel). There was a walk-around with the Juror, Scott Canty; and he quizzed me about painting from the actual plant, fruit or vegetable. I assured him there were many more than myself who were in the practice of painting this way!
The exhibition, “South Bay Focus 2014” is on view November 8 – December 5, 2014.
South Bay Focus is Torrance Art Museum’s annual contemporary and traditional juried art exhibition and is presented in conjunction with the Torrance Artists Guild and the South Bay Watercolor Society. This year’s Juror is Scott Canty, Director and Curator of the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery.
The Torrance Art Museum is located at: 3320 Civic Center Drive, Torrance, CA 90503, 310-618-6388. Hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 11 am – 5 pm, during exhibition dates only. Closed Sunday, Monday, and all major holidays.
Epiphyllum, watercolor and pastel on paper by Suzanne Kuuskmae, © 2014, all rights reserved.
by Sue Kuuskmae, posted by Deb Shaw
The Pastel Society of Southern California, Fifth Annual Members Show
The Pastel Society of Southern California is exhibiting its Fifth Annual Members Show at the Manhattan Beach Creative Arts Center, April 26th – May 16th, 2014.
BAGSC members Suzanne Kuuskmae and Rita Hopper both have works in the show; Sue has two pieces, and Rita one.
This year The Pastel Society has a new designation called “Miniatures” with smaller paintings no bigger than 80 square inches. The opening reception for the public is Saturday, May 3, 2014, from 6 – 9 pm. A pastel demonstration will be held on Saturday, May 17th, from 10 am – noon.
Gallery hours for the show are: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2 – 6 pm; Wednesdays, 4 – 8 pm; and Saturday, 1 – 5 pm. The gallery is closed Fridays and Sundays. The Manhattan Beach Creative Arts Center is located at 1560 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266.
Be sure to come by and take a look.
by Sue Kuuskmae, posted by Deb Shaw
BAGSC member Sue Kuuskmae, along with other artists and art organizations from the South Bay area are grouping together to create a Studios/Gallery called Destination: Art. View a three-minute video about the concept by clicking here.
They are in the process of finding a permanent location, but will debut in San Pedro at the Fall Fine Art Fest at CRAFTED at the PORT of LA:
October 18, 19, 20
11:00 am to 6:00 pm each day
Come meet the artists and see the demos. Destination: Art has a website, and a facebook page. They can also be contacted by email.
By Joan Keesey; Photography by John Keesey, posted by Deb Shaw
The Sunken Garden at Filoli. Photo by John Keesey.
On Thursday, April 18th, John and I attended the Artist’s Reception at Filoli. We spent the morning checking out the exhibit and looking at the garden, always beautiful, but sensational in the spring. The garden is a series of “garden rooms” similar to the Hidcote Gardens in England; each room is surrounded by a hedge of shrubs or trees and usually contains a fountain or pool. Each “garden room” has a color scheme. I spoke with one of the volunteer gardeners who said that the colors change with the seasons and from year to year, but each year there is a master plan. The first garden you see is the sunken garden. This year it is cobalt blue and white columbine, cerulean blue forget-me-nots, and hansa yellow tulips. The wisterias that climb up the brick walls of the Georgian style house were all in bloom and spectacular.
There were also many bushes with a very small, quinacridone red azalea that was quite stunning. It was a perfect day.
Quinacridone Red Azaleas at Filoli. Photo by John Keesey.
There were 64 works of botanical art by 50 artists including the two jurors, Carol Hamilton and Susan Fisher. The Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California (BAGSC) was very well represented with seven artworks by five artists—Alison Denning, Joan Keesey, Sue Kuuskmae, Mitsuko Schulz, and Deborah Shaw.
We went back for the Artists’ Reception at 5:00 pm. It is always very pleasant with wine, very nice appetizers, and the opportunity to meet other botanical artists. Carrie DiCostanzo won the 2013 Roth Award for distinction with an emphasis on traditional botanical art presentation with a beautiful picture of “Ponderosa Pine” (Pinus ponderosa). Maria Cecilia Freeman won the Juror’s Award with an exquisite picture of “Tan Oak” (Notholithocarpus densiflorus), and Ingrid Finnan won the Horticulture Aware with a delicate picture of “Dandelion” (Taraxacum offivinale).
“Aesculus californica,” California Buckeye, watercolor by Joan Keesey, © 2013, all rights reserved.
“Aesculus californica,” California Buckeye, Watercolor by Joan Keesey, © 2013, all rights reserved.
“Fragaria x ananassa ‘Fragoo Pink’,” Strawberry, watercolor by Mitsuko Schultz, © 2013, all rights reserved.
“Iris,” Iris, watercolor by Alison L. Denning, © 2013, all rights reserved.
“Castanospermum australe,” Blackbean, or Moreton Bay Chestnut, seed pod and seeds, Graphite and Watercolor on Vellum by Deborah B. Shaw, © 2013, all rights reserved.
“Plantanus racemosa,” California Sycamore, Watercolor by Mitsuko Schultz, © 2013, all rights reserved.
“Vitis vinifora,” Grapes, watercolor by Suzanne C. Kuuskmae, © 2013, all rights reserved.
by Deb Shaw
Janice Sharp (left) and Pat Mark (right) demonstrating and staffing the BAGSC Botanical Art Information Table. photo by Peter Conlon
On Saturday, February 2, 2013, BAGSC participated in Roger’s Garden’s first “Day of Art” in Newport Beach. Fifty artists, using different media participated in a full day of drawing and painting demonstrations and workshops. The “Day of Art” was free to the public and for all ages.
Pat Mark talking with visitors to the BAGSC Botanical Art Information Table. The Information Table also displayed books, originals and prints of contemporary and historical botanical art and scientific illustration. Photo by Peter Conlon.
Additionally, BAGSC had an interactive table where visitors could explore the botany (and some unusual) fruits and vegetables, and make stamp prints with them. BAGSC also had a botanical art information table, with a display of originals, prints and books of all kinds of botanical art, from scientific illustration to plant portraits, historical and current.
Tania Marien at the BAGSC Interactive Table, photo by Deb Shaw.
BAGSC artists participating included: Diane Daly, Clara Josephs, Arillyn Moran-Lawrence, Sue Kuuskmae, Alyse Ochniak, Tania Marien, Deborah Shaw, Pat Mark, and Janice Sharp.
Tania Marien and Deb Shaw gave a two-hour workshop in the afternoon in the outdoor amphitheater on drawing flowers and leaves in pencil, with drawing boards, drawing paper and pencils provided by Roger’s. A watercolor and pastel workshop was offered in the morning by plein aire artists David Damm and Gill Dillinger, and a gourmet food truck, “Bite Me Foods” provided lunch for those who were hungry.
Tania Marien and visitors to the BAGSC Interactive Table. Kids of all ages used fruits and vegetables to create stamp art.
The event had been postponed from the previous Saturday due to rain. The weather held out this Saturday, and the event was packed with enthusiastic participants, even with the change in schedule. People and their dogs strolled the grounds, bought plants and took in the art.
Attendees were eager to watch the demonstrations, and BAGSC members spent the day talking about botanical art, different media and techniques to interested customers. Many inquired about botanical art classes and were complimentary about the day’s events. Roger’s reported overwhelmingly positive comments from their guests.
Thank you to all who participated, and to Roger’s for hosting the event. We hope there will be more in the future!
Deb Shaw (left) and Tania Marien (right) teaching a workshop about how to draw flowers and leaves in pencil. Photo by Peter Conlon.
Deb Shaw expressively describing the morphology of a banana inflorescence to Theresa Marino from Roger’s Gardens. Photo by Peter Conlon.
Sue Kuuskmae chose to draw in the shade section of the nursery, near a fountain. Photo by Deb Shaw.
Clara Josephs (left) and Diane Daly (right) discuss botanical art and painting with visitors.
Alyse Ochniak demonstrating in the garden, photo by Deb Shaw.
Arillyn Moran-Lawrence demonstrating in the garden (in the luxurious outdoor furniture section). Photo by Deb Shaw.
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 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 Suzanne Kuuskmae, posted by Deb Shaw
Sala Tree Flower, by Suzanne Kuuskmae,
- Iris, by Suzanne Kuuskmae, © 2012 all rights reserved
© 2012 all rights reserved
Two botanical paintings by Suzanne Kuuskmae, Iris, and Sala Tree Flower, were selected for the upcoming Exhibition at the Palos Verdes Art Center at the Peninsula Center, Silver Spur Drive, Palos Verdes. The Gallery is open every day from 9:30 to 4:00 p.m. Selections were made for the Small Treasures Show at the same address and I was thrilled to see that yet another botanical of Hibiscus showing various parts of the flower was selected along with a pastel landscape of Lake Bled, Slovenia. If you get a chance, come on up to see this show that has drawn from a very varied array of art pieces. The reception was held Friday, August 31, from 6 – 8.
BAGSC News 