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by Deb Shaw
The Huntington Botanical Gardens Forever stamp from the US Postal Service.
The US Post Office is honoring ten US Botanical Gardens with a new Forever stamp, released this month. The gardens at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino is one of those ten. Entitled “Beauty and Order,” the American Gardens Forever® stamps features gardens designed from 1889 through today.
Art director Ethel Kessler designed each stamp with a small but evocative photograph representing each garden, taken by Allen Rokach between 1996 and 2014.
The USPS press release and website states:
“The love of gardening stretches back to the earliest years of our country, inspiring George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and other Founding Fathers to plant some of America’s most iconic colonial-era gardens. From the 19th century to today, landscape designers have continued that tradition.”
The featured gardens include:
- The Huntington Botanical Gardens (California);
- Biltmore Estate Gardens (North Carolina);
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden (New York);
- Chicago Botanic Garden (Illinois);
- Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (Maine);
- Dumbarton Oaks Garden (District of Columbia);
- Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park (Florida);
- Norfolk Botanical Garden (Virginia);
- Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens (Ohio); and
- Winterthur Garden (Delaware).
The “American Gardens” Forever stamps honoring ten US gardens were released by the US Post Office in May, 2020.
Millions of Americans visit public and private gardens each year.
The postal service does not receive tax dollars for operations, relying on the sale of postage, products and services for funding. Information about ordering the “American Gardens” Forever stamps can be found on USPS.com.
posted by Deb Shaw
In anticipation of the opening of The Chinese and Japanese Gardens at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, this 2020 group show by the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California (BAGSC) focuses on the plants of Asia.
The exhibition can be viewed at the Brody Botanical Center during regular visitor hours, from January 15 – May 6, 2020.
BAGSC artists in the exhibition include: Natalia Alatortseva, Stephanie Buehler, Akiko Enokido, Janice Hoiberg, Laurel Tucker Krishock, Susan Mark-Raymond, Terri Munroe, Lang Anh Pham, Mitsuko Schultz, Beth Stone, and Jin Wang.
BAGSC artworks in the Brody Botanical Center at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.
BAGSC artworks in the Brody Botanical Center at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.
by Janice Hoiberg
The American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. The celebration is being commemorated with a “Special Exhibition,” a catalog of member’s artwork to be published in October 2019, based on the theme “Celebrating Silver.” Each original features a plant with ‘silver’ in the common or scientific name, or is a plant that has a ‘silvery’ element or appearance. The catalog also will document ASBA’s history, and include articles about its pioneers.
One wall of “Celebrating Silver.” Photo by Janice Hoiberg.
Some of the original artworks created by BAGSC members as part of “Celebrating Silver” is now on display in the Brody Botanical Center at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens. The exhibition opened on July 10 and will run until September 4, 2019.
Participating BAGSC artists in The Huntington exhibition include: Nina Antze, Nancy Beckham, Melanie Campbell-Carter, Jan Clouse, Diane Nelson Daly, Yulia Feldman, Janice Hoiberg, Sue Jackson, Mary Jansen, Laurel Tucker Krishock, Patricia A. Mark, Arillyn Moran-Lawrence, Kathy I. Morgan, Terri Munroe, Marilyn Parrino, Kathlyn Powell, Patricia Savage, Gilly Shaeffer, Beth Stone, and Leslie Walker.
Additional artwork in “Celebrating Silver.” Photo by Janice Hoiberg.
Once the exhibition closes at The Huntington, it will then move to Mt. San Antonio Gardens in Pomona, California, where it will be displayed from October 1 to November 26, 2019. An opening reception will be held at the Mt. San Antonio Gardens’ gallery on October 3, 2019. Everyone is invited!
by Deb Shaw
Li’l Stinky decided not to bloom after all, but provided a wonderful dissection opportunity! The Huntington team and the public got to see what’s inside!
We were all disappointed when Li’l Stinker, Amorphophallus titanum, or “Corpse Flower” failed to bloom last week at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. The failed bloom, however, gave Jim Folsom, John Trager, and Brandon Tam the opportunity to dissect the bloom on Facebook Live to create an herbarium sheet (watch the dissection here on Facebook Live.
Then, lo and behold, not one but THREE more Corpse Flowers stepped up to the plate. Quickly dubbed the #TitanTriplets! All three plants, “Stink,” “Stank,” and “Stunk,” #CorpseFlowers can be seen in the Rose Hills Foundation Conservatory for Botanical Science at The Huntington, along with a corm and a plant with a leaf. Daily updates, photos, and FAQs are being shared on The Huntington’s website.
“Stink” suddenly decided to bloom today! See it during public hours: 10 am – 5 pm. The two other #CorpseFlowers, “Stank,” and “Stunk” look like they have a few more days to go. But who knows…they might change their minds and bloom any time.
For more stinky resources (from The Huntington) #StinkyatTheH:
- Watch: the Botanical team dissect the last Corpse Flower, Li’l Stinker on Facebook Live
- Read: The Secret Life of Stinky
- Read: A Stinky Family Tree
- Watch: Corpse Flower’s 2014 bloom Timelapse
The Corpse Flower inspires creativity. Lindsay Brennan made (delicious!) Corpse Flower Cake Pops and brought them to Jim Folsom’s Orchid Lecture for BAGSC members.
The bloom (and smell) only lasts a day or so. If you’re coming to The Huntington this weekend to see and smell, be sure to stop by the Brody Botanical Center, Flora-Legium Gallery to see “Out of the Woods: Celebrating Trees in Public Gardens,” The Third New York Botanical Garden Triennial, American Society of Botanical Artists, and “Amazing Trees,” the adjunct exhibition by the Botanical Artist Guild of Southern California (BAGSC). BAGSC artists will be on hand all weekend with drop in family activities and botanical art demonstrations. The exhibitions go through to August 27, 2018.
Another view of the chocolate Corpse Flower Cake Pops.
Deborah Shaw (L) and Tania Norris (R) took a few minutes to sketch Li’l Stinky.
BAGSC member Tania Norris with her Li’l Stinky sketch.
by Deb Shaw
The wonderful botanical art exhibitions at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens Brody Botanical Center are in their final month of display.
Out of the Woods: Celebrating Trees in Public Gardens, The Third New York Botanical Garden Triennial and American Society of Botanical Artists will be on display until August 27, 2018, along with BAGSC’s adjunct exhibition “Amazing Trees.” BAGSC members will continue to have drop-in family botanical art activities and botanical art demonstrations every Saturday and Sunday through that time as well.
These exhibitions have been a whirlwind of wonderful opportunities. A few highlights have included:
, The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Read the article here.
Deborah Friedman was interviewed and videotaped by Aric Allen, Video Producer, The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens about her development of her painting of the California Sycamore, Platanus racemosa in “Out of the Woods.” See the insightful video interview on YouTube here.
Steve Hindle, Interim President of The Huntington, “President’s Message: The Gentle Giants Among Us,” July/August “Calendar.” Read a PDF of the Message: huntington-pres-ltr-OOTW
“Out of the Woods” has been featured in all kinds of publicity and outreach from The Huntington, including the “President’s Message: The Gentle Giants Among Us,” by Interim President Steve Hindle in the July/August issue of The Huntington’s “Calendar.”
BAGSC participated in a Huntington open house and reception for The Huntington Fellows on Tuesday evening, May 22, 2018. BAGSC members Catherine Dellor, Estelle DeRidder, Suz Landay, Patricia Mark, Veronica Raymond, Olga Ryabstova, Gilly Shaeffer, Deborah Shaw, and Jude Wiesenfeld demonstrated at the well-attended reception. BAGSC members Susan Bartow, Teri Kuwahara, Tania Norris, Mitsuko Schultz, Beth Stone, and Leslie Walker attended too. Concurrent with the botanical art demonstrations that evening in the Ahmanson at the Brody Botanical Center, the ASBA Worldwide exhibitions were on display on the large screen, including the US exhibition (currently on display at the US Botanic Gardens) and exhibitions from 24 other countries. (See information about the ASBA Worldwide exhibition here. Information about the participating countries in the botanical art Worldwide Exhibition can be found here. Be sure to see the gallery slideshows and instructions on ordering exhibition catalogs from the US and other countries.)
Click on any of the images below to see in slide show with captions.
Some of the signage for The Huntington’s Fellows reception and open house, with Esmée Winkel’s Leiden’s 300-year-old Liriodendron tulipifera in Autumn Liriodendron tulipifera Hortus Botanicus, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Phaleonopsis from The Huntington’s collections in luxurious display.
The open house/reception flowed from the demonstrations in the Ahmanson through the courtyard into the Brody Botanical Center.
Seating area just outside the Flora-Legium gallery, where “Out of the Woods” was on display.
L to R: Jim Folsom with BAGSC members Jude Wiesenfeld, Teri Kuwahara, Beth Stone.
Guests enjoying the “Out of the Woods” exhibition.
Guests enjoying the “Out of the Woods” exhibition.
Jim Folsom remarks.
Robert Hori remarks.
Tania Norris remarks.
Andrew Mitchell who hung “Out of the Woods” and “Amazing Trees”, with BAGSC member Leslie Walker.
Mitsuko Schultz, with her artwork in “Out of the Woods,” Sweet Gum Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Burgundy’ Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia, California.
Jim Folsom, always on the move.
The open house included displays with microscopes for guests to view specimens, as well as tours of the Herbarium, labs, and other research and library spaces in the Brody.
Kathy Musial, curator of living collections at The Huntington found a fruit of the Sausage Tree on The Huntington grounds. The tree was painted by Melanie Campbell-Carter for the “Amazing Trees” exhibition. As in every office, but especially necessary at The Huntington, it’s important to label what is food and “not food.”
Signage for the BAGSC artists who demonstrated botanical art during the evening.
Patricia Mark setting up for the botanical art demonstration, with Leslie Walker.
BAGSC members setting up for the botanical art demonstrations. L to R (seated): Estelle DeRidder, Jude Wiesenfeld, Olga Ryabstova; (standing) Teri Kuwahara.
BAGSC members (L to R) Veronica Raymond and Suz Landay, demonstrating botanical art.
BAGSC member Deborah Shaw demonstrating botanical art.
Jude Wiesenfeld demonstrating botanical art.
Guests viewing the botanical art demonstrations, with images from the ASBA Worldwide exhibition in the background.
The calm before the crowds: (L) BAGSC member Tania Norris and Robert Hori ready the tables for the drop-in family botanical art activities.
BAGSC members have provided drop-in family botanical art activities every weekend throughout the summer, including leaf-rubbings; botanical art demonstrations; a segment in cooperation with The Huntington’s education department for their “avocado day,” and lots more! Additionally, BAGSC members have been on hand to answer questions from the public about botanical art and artworks in the exhibitions. It has been wonderful (and inspiring) to find many visitors to the exhibitions who have not only returned to see them multiple times, but have brought others to see them as well.
BAGSC members also used the weekend demonstration opportunities to paint orchids generously supplied from The Huntington’s collection by Brandon Tam, orchid collection specialist at The Huntington. Look for these paintings and drawings in our next exhibition at The Huntington in the fall, entitled “Diversity of Orchids.”
In early June, BAGSC members had the good fortune to be able to have Carol Woodin, ASBA Exhibition Chair at our quarterly meeting. Carol was in Southern California presenting at the American Public Gardens Association Conference with Devin Dotson from the US Botanic Gardens. Carol spoke to BAGSC members about painting orchids, followed by an audience-requested tour through the “Out of the Woods” exhibition. Click on any of the images below to see an enlarged slide show of the images with captions.
BAGSC’s quarterly meeting at The Huntington was filled to capacity. BAGSC President, Janice Sharp, got the meeting started.
BAGSC members and guests at the meeting.
BAGSC members and guests at the meeting.
Carol Woodin reviewing her notes before her presentation about orchids. Carol discussed what she looked for in an orchid subject, as well as composition issues that orchids may present.
BAGSC Treasurer Beth Stone giving her report.
Jim Folsom documenting the meeting.
Tania Norris reporting about the BAGSC drop-in activities each weekend in conjunction with “Out of the Woods” and “Amazing Trees.”
“Out of the Woods” didactic inside the exhibition.
Carol graciously gave an impromptu tour of the “Out of the Woods” exhibition.
BAGSC members and guests attending the meeting had time to spend with the artworks.
Carol Woodin talking about the artwork in the “Out of the Woods” exhibition.
Carol Woodin talking about the artwork in the “Out of the Woods” exhibition.
Carol Woodin talking about the artwork in the “Out of the Woods” exhibition.
Mitsuko Schultz spoke about her artwork, Sweet Gum Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Burgundy’ Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia, California.
Olga Ryabstova spoke about the print-making process, as well as her piece in “Out of the Woods,” Roxburgh Fig Ficus auriculata San Diego Botanic Garden, Encinitas, California.
On Sunday, July 29, 2018, The Huntington hosted a stellar reception for the exhibitions for around 70 BAGSC members, family, friends and guests. Click on any of the images below to see a slideshow and read the captions.
BAGSC members and guests enjoyed “Out of the Woods” and “Amazing Trees.”
A few words from Jim Folsom.
L to R: BAGSC members Bonnie Born Ash and Tania Norris.
“Amazing Trees” is placed throughout the Brody atrium walls in a delightful display.
Time to visit with members and guests.
Time to visit with members and guests.
Lee and Chuck McAffree came down from Northern California.
Jim Folsom, cooked up an amazing reception spread. Jim, Robert Hori, Danielle Rudeen, and Melanie Thorpe staged an awesome reception.
Jim Folsom, cooked up an amazing reception spread. Jim, Robert Hori, Danielle Rudeen, and Melanie Thorpe staged an awesome reception.
Esmee van Winkel’s painting of Leiden’s 300-Year-Old Tulip Tree in Autumn, Liriodendron tulipifera, Hortus Botanicus Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands has graced all the signage, large and small, and the printed marketing materials produced by The Huntington. The signage is everywhere throughout the campus. Click on any of the images below for a small sampling, and to read the captions.
Signage at the front entrance of The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Digital signage in the front entrance courtyard area.
Digital signage above the ticket booths at the front entrance.
Table-top advertisements in the Café.
Large banner on the corner of the Brody Botanical Center.
Graphic just outside the Flora-Legium gallery where “Out of the Woods” is on display.
One of many free-standing signs in the Conservatory.
“Out of Woods” catalogs on display in The Huntington Store, along with a selection of notecards by BAGSC members in the “Out of the Woods” exhibition. Five of the six cards are shown here; The Huntington Store sometimes has them all together, other times they are grouped with like subject areas in the store.
“Out of the Woods” exhibition catalogs are on sale in The Huntington Store for $12.00 US. The Store also is carrying a limited edition of notecards with artwork by BAGSC members in the “Out of the Woods” exhibition, including Margaret Best (Screw-Pine, Pandanus utilis, Bermuda Arboretum, Bermuda), Akiko Enokido (Swamp Cypress, Taxodium distichum, Kobe Municipal Arboretum, Kobe, Japan), Deborah Friedman (California Sycamore, Platanus racemosa, detail from original, The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, California), Asuka Hishiki (Black Pine Half-cascade Style Bonsai, Pinus nigra, The Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, Saitama, Japan), Olga Ryabstova (Roxburgh Fig, Ficus auriculata, The San Diego Botanic Garden, Encinitas, California), and Mitsuko Schultz (Sweet Gum, Liquidambar styraciflua, ‘Burgundy’, Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, Arcadia, California).
Asuka Hishiki’s notecard in The Huntington Store on display in the Bonsai area of the Store.
A heartfelt thank you is due to too many to list here, but a special thank you to The Huntington’s Jim Folsom, Robert Hori, Danielle Rudeen, Melanie Thorpe and Andrew Mitchell, along with The Huntington’s Exhibition, Communications, Video, Education, Store and Graphics departments. Another special thank you to the BAGSC artists in “Out of the Woods,” who generously supported our test into The Huntington Store, and to all the other members who worked to make these exhibitions a success. And, last but not least, a heartfelt thank you to Tania Norris for all her work on the exhibition and coordinating the weekend botanical art activities.
by Kat Powell, posted by Deb Shaw
Some of the workshop participants getting ready for a final critique with Carrie Di Constanzo. L to R: Mary Jo Newman, Carrie Di Costanzo, Suzanne Bassani, Janice Sharp, Carol Readhead, Melanie Campbell-Carter, Kathlyn Powell. Missing from photo: Patricia Mark, Alyse Ochniak. Photo by Teri Kuwahara, © 2018.
What a fabulous experience! We were honored to have the awe-inspiring Carrie Di Costanzo for a workshop on the use of gouache in botanical art. First of all, Carrie’s work is beyond exquisite — I suspect I was not alone in getting goosebumps while gazing at her originals. They are miraculous in their refinement and perfection. Although Carrie works her magic in other media such as egg tempera and watercolor as well, it is her masterful handling of gouache that we focused on for those wonderful three days.
We all had a choice of working on a large deodar cedar cone, kumquats on a branch, loquats on a branch, or tulips. One participant requested a cactus as a subject, and The Huntington very kindly supplied that subject as well.
Reviewing artwork with Carrie Di Constanzo. L to R: Teri Kuwahara, Carrie Di Costanzo, Suzanne Bassani, Janice Sharp, Carol Readhead, Mary Jo Newman, Melanie Carter-Campbell. Missing from photo: Patricia Mark, Alyse Ochniak. Photo by Kathlyn Powell, © 2018.
Carrie demonstrated several ways of using gouache, as the medium is quite versatile. She showed her favored method of laying down a pale “wash” of her mixed paint that consisted of a highly controlled stippling using her amazingly fast feathery stroke of dilute gouache on a dry brush. Texture was instantiated from the start and retained throughout with this technique. Subsequent layers were laid down with generally successively more concentrated pigments with the occasional unifying dry brush wash over. She worked from light to dark in this method, somewhat reminiscent of watercolor.
She also demonstrated an approach using titanium white mixed to varying degrees into her colors to opacify and smooth the deposition of color and it had a depth and richness rivaling oils while retaining the luscious velvety matte surface of gouache. Indeed, in this approach, the handling is more like that of oils or acrylics and many renowned artists such as James Gurney use this method. [See some of James Gurney’s favorite gouache artists here.] Lights do not necessarily need to be retained and working dark to light is possible. Highlights and light structures such as Melanie’s cactus spines can be directly added on top.
Carrie showed us that gouache is like watercolor in re-solubility but has a higher pigment load, yielding greater opacity. It can be used in a watercolor way with wet, dilute translucent washes retaining the light of the paper, building up to a gorgeous matte depth of color. It can also, again, be used somewhat like oils or acrylics, with light pigments over dark. This allows for going over sections with many layers until one is satisfied, without harming the surface or looking overworked. Thus, you can push a painting further. One can also use gouache to exquisite effect on toned papers, like botanical artist Albert R. Valentien did. Carrie showed us how she creates a toned sheet for such an approach.
Carrie encouraged us to use the method that we felt most comfortable with and everyone had their own unique look to their paintings, and all were lovely. The medium was adaptable to each person’s individual style of painting.
A Little About Gouache:
Gouache has a history that goes back to the 9th Century. Illuminated manuscripts and Persian and Mughal miniatures were painted using opaque watercolors mixed with white or on white priming. Chinese white was also freely used in Western watercolors in the nineteenth century as “body colors”, distinguished by their beautiful precision (see, for example, the watercolor and body color work of William Trost Richards). For many subjects, such as landscapes, body color made it possible.
Zinc white (Chinese white) as a pigment had become available in Europe in the mid-19th century (although in use in Persia, India and China since at least the 12th century) and thus at least partially displaced the more opaque but very toxic lead white. It is no wonder that artists happily explored the possibilities of this new pigment! (Especially en plein air, once pigments were packed into tubes.) We are lucky to have access to nontoxic, very opaque titanium white (introduced 1921) as well as zinc white.
Gouache was favored by commercial artists during the twentieth century for its beauty, speed of drying, and matte surface which the camera loves — it is renowned for reproducing extremely well. It got a bit of a bad rap because of the fugitive quality of many of the paints then in use — pieces were made for the camera rather than the frame, so archival lightfast pigments were not always employed. Now, however, we have beautiful, fully lightfast gouache pigments available to us from numerous pigmenters. Also, the medium suffered some stigma in the pretentious “Fine Art” vs “illustration” controversy.
Technical instruction in gouache has become very difficult to come by over the last few decades, so I cherish the training we were so fortunate to obtain with a Master Artist like Carrie. I personally have longed for this type and quality of didactics for nearly half a century. Opacity is another dimension of control which enhances the ability to work the magic of mimesis.
Profound thanks to Carrie Di Costanzo, a real treasure both artistically and as a person, to the Education Committee for bringing her, to The Huntington for hosting us, to Patricia Mark for supplying subjects and to BAGSC for everything!
by Jude Wiesenfeld, posted by Deb Shaw
Magnolia grandiflora, gouache on paper, © Carrie Di Costanzo
Carrie Di Constanzo will be teaching a BAGSC-sponsored workshop, entitled Creating Botanical Paintings with Impact Using Gouache.
Participants in this workshop will learn how gouache is used to create realistic and detailed botanical paintings. Explore the benefits of using gouache and the similarities and differences between gouache and watercolor. Demonstrations will include using light washes of gouache, layering of colors with a dry brush, mixing of colors, glazing, and using semi-transparent and semi-opaque gouache. The class will be encouraged to experiment with gouache using small botanical subjects.
This workshop is suitable for artists who have previous experience with gouache, as well as those who have always wanted to try this wonderful opaque medium. Gouache will be supplied by the instructor, and a small fee will be charged to participants to share in the cost of the supplies. The workshop will be held at:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens,
Botanical Education Center, Allied Technical Lab
Wednesday – Friday, April 11 – 13, 2018
9:30 am – 4:00 pm
The Huntington is located at: 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108.
The cost for BAGSC Members is $300; non-members may also attend for $350. Maximum Registration: 16 students.
To register: Send a check in the full amount, made out to BAGSC, with Carrie Di Constanzo on the subject line. Please mail the check to: BAGSC, PO Box 50166, Pasadena, California 91115.
Bring your lunch, or purchase lunch at any of the cafés on The Huntington grounds.
Questions about the Workshop? Contact the BAGSC Education Chair.
More information, materials list and map are available on the BAGSC website.
About the instructor
Carrie Di Costanzo worked as a fashion illustrator before shifting her focus to botanical art. Group exhibitions include the 14th Annual International through the 20th Annual International with the ASBA/HSNY (receiving the Ursus Award in\2013); “Following in the Bartrams’ Footsteps” and “Weird, Wild, and Wonderful” and the 14th through 19th Annual Botanical Art Exhibit at Filoli (receiving the Roth Award in 2013 and the Jurors’ Award in 2014). Her work is held in the Botanical Collections at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, and private collections.
by Tania Norris, posted by Deb Shaw
BAGSC handouts for “Portraits of Bonsai from The Huntington Collection.” Cover image, Ficus retusa, watercolor on paper, © 2018 Anna Suprunenko. Brochure and photo by Olga Ryabtsova, © 2018.
The Botanical Center at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, is the location for the BAGSC exhibition ‘“Portraits of Bonsai from The Huntington Collection.” The paintings received many admiring comments from the public and participants at The Huntington’s Bonsai-a-Thon held the weekend of February 24 – 25, 2018.
Demonstrations during the two-day event were given by Olga Ryabtsova, Mitsuko Schultz and Tania Norris. The questions and comments from the viewers were many and varied. They ranged from ‘how do you?’, ‘I could never do that’, ‘are they for sale?’ and ‘where do I find classes?’ etc. People were really interested and appreciative of our participation.
Amazing Bonsais everywhere! Photo by Olga Ryabtsova, © 2018.
The wonderful and patient Bonsai master, Ted Matson, gave a long plug for BAGSC before he started the auction of bonsai for the attendees. He mentioned how BAGSC members had come weekly to paint The Huntington Collection. Ted also mentioned the upcoming ASBA “Out of the Woods” art show at the Brody Center (May 18, 2018 to August 27, 2018) and was most complimentary about the BAGSC paintings.
Olga Ryabtsova (L) and Mitsuko Schultz (R) demonstrate in front of the BAGSC wall of Bonsai Portraits. Photo by Jude Wiesenfeld, © 2018.
It was also wonderful to see many BAGSC members attending the event. A few additional BAGSC demonstrators or BAGSC members who could answer questions would have been appreciated. Don’t be shy — all levels of expertise are appreciated at our outreach events, and seasoned BAGSC participants are always on hand to lend a hand.
Jude Wiesenfeld with her painting Juniperus californica, © 2018. Photo by Mitsuko Schultz, © 2018.
Thank you to Ted Matson and The Huntington for this wonderful opportunity; and kudos to all BAGSC papticipants!
by Janice Sharp, posted by Deb Shaw
This weekend, (February 24 and 25) is the Bonsai-a-thon at the Brody Botanical Center, The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, California, from 10 am – 5 pm each day.
Andrew Mitchell, The Huntington, hangs the final painting in the ““Portraits of Bonsai from The Huntington Collection” in the Brody Botanical Center. Photo © 2018, Olga Ryabstova.
BAGSC’s “Portraits of Bonsai from The Huntington Collection” exhibition is on display in the Brody Botanical Center in conjunction with this event. The exhibition includes 12 artworks by ten BAGSC artists in a variety of media, including watercolor, graphite, ink, etching, colored pencil and oil on paper. Participating BAGSC artists include: Terri Munroe, Tania Norris, Veronica Raymond, Olga Ryabtsova, Mitsuko Schultz, Gilly Shaeffer, Janice Sharp, Deborah Shaw, Anna Suprunenko, and Jude Wiesenfeld.
BAGSC members have been invited to participate in the Bonsai-a-thon weekend, demonstrating art/drawing of Bonsais. If you are interested in participating contact Olga Ryabtsova to coordinate your participation. Artists should be prepared to be demonstrate from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Saturday February 24 and/or Sunday February 25.
Bring friends and family and come soak in the world of Bonsai. Southern California Bonsai masters will be there, sharing their knowledge and passion for the art form in this annual event that includes exhibits, demonstrations, prize drawings, a “Bonsai Bazaar,” and a live auction at 3 p.m. each day. Proceeds from the event support the Golden State Bonsai Collection at The Huntington.
The Huntington is located at: 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108. Parking is free, and the Bonsai-a-thon event is free; however, general admission is required. The Bonsai-a-thon and “Portraits of Bonsai from The Huntington Collection” exhibition take place in the Brody Botanical Center.
by Jude Wiesenfeld, posted by Deb Shaw
Ginseng, watercolor on vellum. Denise Walser-Kolar, © 2017, all rights reserved.
Denise Walser-Kolar will be teaching the first BAGSC-sponsored workshop of 2018, entitled Roots and Leaves on Vellum or Watercolor Paper.
This workshop will focus on drawing and painting roots and leaves, starting with exercises observing and drawing roots and leaves. The balance of the workshop will concentrate on painting several small leaf studies. Students may work on either vellum or paper. Vellum will be available to purchase from instructor; students wishing to work on paper will bring their preferred materials.
The class also will cover mixing greens, creating dark shadow colors, and mixing light delicate colors necessary for painting roots. Denise is known for her thorough demonstrations, discussion of materials and techniques, hands-on time for developing skills, and lots of individual attention and feedback.
The workshop will be held at:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens,
Botanical Education Center, Allied Technical Lab
Wednesday – Friday, February 7 – 9, 2018
9:30 am – 4:00 pm
The Huntington is located at: 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108.
The cost for BAGSC Members is $300; non-members may also attend for $350. Maximum Registration: 16 students.
To register: Send a check in the full amount, made out to BAGSC, with Denise Walser-Kolar on the subject line. Please mail the check to: BAGSC, PO Box 50166, Pasadena, California 91115.
Bring your lunch, or purchase lunch at any of the cafés on The Huntington grounds.
Questions about the Workshop? Contact the BAGSC Education Chair.
More information, materials list and map are available on the BAGSC website.
About the instructor
Denise Walser-Kolar began her journey into Botanical art in 2003, after receiving a botanical art class from her parents as a birthday gift. She has a degree in Graphic Design and Illustration from the College of Visual Arts in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Denise teaches botanical art workshops across the country and currently works for the American Society of Botanical Artists as the Annual Meeting & Program Coordinator. She received the Diane Bouchier Artist Award for Excellence in Botanical Art in 2015 and received a Silver-Gilt medal from the Royal Horticultural Society in 2011 for her paintings of the hazelnuts of Badgersett Research Farm. Her work is held in the permanent collection of the Hunt institute for Botanical Documentation.
by Deb Shaw
The Third New York Botanical Garden Triennial, Out of the Woods: Celebrating Trees in Public Gardens is on display at the The New York Botanical Garden, in Bronx, New York from November 18, 2017 – April 22, 2018. Information about the exhibition, including images of all the artworks is on the ASBA website.
Forty-four artworks were selected from more than two hundred submissions, depicting one of the planet’s most important and beautiful resources: trees. Each of these subjects have been found in botanical gardens and arboreta throughout the United States and around the world.
Artists have been working on this project for the past three years, not only capturing images of trees, but also drawing attention to the institutions that shelter them: botanical gardens and arboreta. A central goal of the exhibition is to highlight the role of botanical gardens and arboreta in the research/scholarship they provide, as well as their education and outreach to the public.
The artists respond aesthetically to these inspiring subjects, and have depicted everything from seedpods to branches and bark to an entire forest floor. Each artist has written a statement about their artwork; artists’ statements can be read on the ASBA website.
Jurors for the exhibition were:
- Joanna Groarke, Director of Public Engagement and Library Exhibitions Curator, The New York Botanical Garden
- Todd Forrest, Arthur Ross VP for Horticulture and Living Collections, The New York Botanical Garden
- Robin A. Jess, Past Executive Director, ASBA
- Barbara Macklowe, Photographer, former Principal, Macklowe Gallery
Congratulations go to all artists participating, including BAGSC artists Akiko Enokido, Deborah Friedman, Asuka Hishiki, Olga Ryabtsova, and Mitsuko Schultz. (Clicking on the names of the artists goes to their artist’s statement page on the ASBA website; click on any of the images below to see them enlarged in a slide show format, with artist and painting information.)
© 2017 Akiko Enokido Swamp-Cypress Taxodium distichum Watercolor and graphite on paper 22-3/4″ x 16′
© 2016 Deborah Friedman California Sycamore Platanus racemosa Watercolor and ink on paper 24″ x 19″
© 2015-2017 Asuka Hishiki Black Pine Half-cascade Style Bonsai Pinus nigra Oil on paper 28-1/4″ x 36-1/2″
© 2017 Olga Ryabtsova Roxburgh Fig Ficus auriculata Watercolor on paper 18″ x 26″
© 2017 Mitsuko Schultz Sweet Gum Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Burgundy’ Watercolor on paper 11″ x 14″
Congratulations to the award-winners:
Gold Medal:
Asuka Hishiki, Black Pine Half-Cascade Style Bonsai, Pinus nigra
Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, Saitama, Japan
Oil on Paper
Silver Medal:
Lucy Martin
Bigleaf Maple with Inky-Cap Mushrooms, Acer macrophyllum, Coprinellus sp., University of California Botanical Garden, Berkeley, CA, Gouache on Paper
Bronze Medal:
Ingrid Finnan
Snake Branch Spruce, Picea abies ‘Virgata’, The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY, Oil on Paper
Honorable mentions:
Beverly Allen
New Guinea Dinner Plate Fig, Ficus dammaropsis, The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Sydney, Australia, Watercolor on paper
Alexandra Negoita Vulcu
Bigleaf Magnolia, Magnolia macrophylla, Hortus Conclusus, Stone Ridge, NY, Watercolor and acrylic ink on paper
Barbara Oozeerally
Stone Oak, Lithocarpus pachyphyllus, Caerhays Estate, Gorran, St. Austell, England, Watercolor on paper
Beverly Fink
Tree Aloe, Aloe thraskii, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota, FL, Watercolor on paper
As with previous New York Triennial exhibitions, Out of the Woods will be traveling after the closing date at The New York Botanical Gardens, including coming to The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in May, 2018. Watch for future postings of lectures and other activities at The Huntington that will occur around the exhibition. BAGSC Members also will host a concurrent exhibition of local artists around the same theme at the Brody Botanical Education Center at The Huntington.
The current traveling schedule includes: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, CA, May 19 – August 27, 2018; Foundry Art Centre (in time for the next ASBA conference), St. Charles, MO, October 5 – December 28, 2018; Tucson Botanical Gardens, Tucson, AZ, January 25 – April 13, 2019; Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska, MN, May 9 – August 13, 2019.
Front cover of exhibition catalog, featuring Leiden’s 300-year Old Liriodendron tulipifera, by © Esmée Winkel, watercolor on paper.
Exhibition catalogs may be purchased on the ASBA website for $12.00 ($10.80 for NYBG members). The full-color, 60-page catalog features all of the artwork in the exhibition as well as essays illuminating the pivotal importance of living collections in the conservation of the planet’s trees, and the continued significance of botanical art in the 21st century.
by Beth Stone, posted by Deb Shaw
BAGSC members might like these two upcoming events at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens:
Lecture – Cochineal in the History of Art and Global Trade
Sunday, 12/10/17 at 2:30 pm
Garden Talk & Sale – California “Super Bloom” 2017
Thursday, 12/14/17 at 2:30 pm
by Janice Sharp, posted by Deb Shaw
The exhibition wall faces the stairway in the Brody Botanical Center. The BAGSC logo is a permanent sign, and information about BAGSC and ASBA is available as a handout. Photo by Janice Sharp, © 2017.
BAGSC’s latest exhibit at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, “Inspired by Latin America,” is now open in the Brody Botanical Center.
The art was hung on September 5, 2017, and the show will run through to January 15, 2018. Eleven paintings by eight BAGSC artists are featured in the exhibition, including Melanie Campbell-Carter, Sally Jacobs, Arillyn Moran-Lawrence, Kathly Powell, Olga Ryabtsova, Mitsuko Schultz, Janice Sharp, and Deborah Shaw.
Janice Sharp and Andrew Mitchell review the plans for the exhibition layout. Photo by Beth Stone, © 2017.
We thank The Huntington for providing the beautiful new signage identifying the artwork on the wall as belonging to the “Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California.” The plexi banner will be a permanent feature of the display. We have also added a container to dispense handouts. For this exhibit, the handout lists the artists and their paintings, with information about BAGSC and ASBA on the back. We also thank Andrew Mitchell for his patience with us in hanging the artwork.
The next Huntington exhibition, beginning in January, will be “Bonsai’s of the Huntington.”
By Janice Sharp and Beth Stone, posted by Deb Shaw
On September 6 – 8, 2017, Marjorie Leggitt taught at BAGSC-sponsored workshop entitled “Fresh Art: Pencil and Paint in the Garden” at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens. Marj expertly led us on a scary path down the road of fast drawing and minimal supplies.
This class presented a unique opportunity to escape the classroom and venture out into the gardens. We were all grateful that it was cooler than previous weeks, so we enjoyed being outside.
It was great, challenging and yes, frustrating, to use quick techniques: modified blind contour drawing; big wet brushes and simple pallets. Each designed to shift our focus away from the tools and back to observation of our subject. We came away with good tips which we can apply to making thoughtful studies or even initial drawings for a full botanical rendering.
Click on any one of the circles to see the images in a slide show format:
Photo credit: © 2017, Beth Stone.
Photo credit: © 2017, Janice Sharp.
Photo credit: © 2017, Beth Stone.
Photo credit: © 2017, Janice Sharp.
Photo credit: © 2017, Beth Stone.
Photo credit: © 2017, Janice Sharp.
Photo credit: © 2017, Janice Sharp.
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.
BAGSC News 