ArtPlantae Today

© 2011 Gael Louise Sellwood (England)
‘Altona’ (in early autumn), Hydrangea macrophylla [Hydrangea
macrophylla (Thunberg) Seringe, Hydrangeaceae], watercolor on paper.
All rights reserved

Floribunda is a celebration of all things floral and will feature the 14th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration, a traveling exhibition by The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. This exhibition has traveled around the country for two years and the Petaluma Arts Center will be its last stop.

In addition to featuring the 36 artists from nine countries in The Hunt exhibition, the Petaluma Arts Center will also celebrate the work of Aimee Baldwin, Evan Kolker and Randy Strong — three Bay Area artists who create three-dimensional representations of flowers.

“This exhibition is designed as a source of inspiration and an invitation to see the natural world around us in distinct ways, to illuminate the relationship between art and science,” says Exhibitions Manager Kim Chigi. “With Botany as one of the sciences, we are excited about the juxtaposition of traditional botanical illustration with the contemporary three-dimensional creations, working in tandem, to explore the connections between the creativity of both artist and nature.”

The Petaluma Arts Center will host a series of events related to the exhibition. They include an artists’ talk, studio workshops, and botanical art demonstrations featuring Sonoma county artists. Here is the schedule of events:

• Saturday, October 22: Opening Reception, 5:00-7:00 pm
• Saturday, November 5: Botanical Art Demonstrations with Nina Antze, Martha Kemp, Lucy Martin and Vi Strain, 1:00 pm
• Thursday, November 10: Artists’ Talk with Evan Kolker and Randy Strong, 7:00 pm; doors open at 6:30 pm.
• Sunday, November 12 -13: Watercolor Botanical Workshop with Amber Turner

Details and ticket information can be found on the Petaluma Arts Center’s website, on the Events page.

Floribunda opens to the public on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016 at 11:00 am. An opening reception will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 5:00-7:00 pm.

To arrange for group visits or school tours, email exhibitions@PetalumaArtsCenter.org or call Kim at (707) 762-5600 x104.

About Petaluma Arts Center
Housed in the historic Railroad Station freight building, next to the Petaluma Visitors Center, Petaluma Arts Center (PAC) hosts art exhibitions, performances, art classes, literary and film lectures, and events. The Arts Center grew out of the grassroots Petaluma Arts Council, founded in 1998 with a goal of acknowledging and celebrating local artists and their contributions. Located next to the upcoming SMART commuter train station in developing Midtown Petaluma, the arts center is experiencing a renaissance along with the growth of the arts in Sonoma County.