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Margaret Best’s 6th Destination Workshop in Andalucía, Spain

Posted in botanical art, Education, Learning Opportunities, Special Announcements, travel on August 30, 2015|

By Best Botanical

There are only 2 spaces left in Margaret Best’s April/May 2016 workshop in Spain. Non-artist friends, partners or spouses are also welcome.

The workshop accommodation is a beautifully restored 16th century house in an aromatic garden surrounded by 3000 acres of olive and orange groves. As for all of Margaret’s previous painting trips, this workshop/tour is capably managed on the ground by Kiloran McRae for the Quench Travel Group of Toronto.

Five glorious days of painting will be spent in a spectacular setting high in Sierra Moreno Mountains, just north of Seville in the heart of Andalucía with options to tour the historic sites of Seville and Barcelona. As always, Quench’s remarkable local connections will make for an unforgettable, cultural immersion. Tapas, flamenco dancing, sherry bodegas, historical gardens …

Many of the already registered participants have been on 3 or more of Margaret’s destination workshops. Their enthusiasm for these unique painting opportunities speaks to the quality of their previous experiences. Botanical artist and ASBA member Jan Clouse and her husband Charles of Santa Barbara have this to say about their previous trips with Margaret and Kiloran:

Margaret knows how much Jan appreciates her guidance and mentoring, but the sustained exposure to her teaching skills provided by these trips is inestimable. We both admire Kiloran’s skills as well. Where do we start? Guide? Translator? Chaperone? Student of Medieval history? Plant identifier? She does it all at breakneck speed — in two, sometimes three, languages. Can’t praise her too highly either.

The food was as always, rave-worthy … impressive botanical gardens, the welcoming horticulturists, and historical sites as well… Altogether we had terrific experiences as botanical painter, guitarist, and tourists.

For details about this unique painting opportunity and a chance to explore some remarkable art and sites of historical significance in Spain, visit
Exclusively Quench online.

Previous Margaret Best/Quench workshop destinations include:

Tuscany, Italy
Marrakech, Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Newfoundland, Canada
Cotswold’s, England
Puglia, Italy

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One space remains in two-week botanical art class with Anne-Marie Evans

Posted in botanical art, Education, Learning Opportunities on August 30, 2015|

By Bonnie S. Driggers
Past President, Botanical Artists for Education & the Environment

Due to a last-minute cancellation, we have an opening for Anne-Marie Evans’ Botanical Watercolor Class. This two-week class will concentrate first on gaining intimate familiarity with the plant, sketching it from many different aspects while striving for botanical accuracy. Then, students will practice various arrangements using the individual sketches to make an effective composition. Finally, they will proceed to paint application, using Anne-Marie’s six-step method. If you are interested, please contact me for details.

Date: September 21 – 25 and September 28 – October 2, 2015
Daily: Monday – Friday, 10 am – 3 pm
Cost: $1,100
Location: Columbia Baptist Church, Room 100, 103 W. Columbia St, Falls Church, VA 22046

Bring a lunch. Coffee and tea will be provided.

Register Today

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Natural history exhibitions at Adkins Arboretum

Posted in Art, Education, Learning Opportunities, Special Announcements on August 12, 2015|

Adkins Arboretum brings attention to the art of nature in their ongoing series celebrating regional artists and their exploration of natural themes.

The Arboretum is currently hosting an exhibition of work by Rebecca Clark whose work in Finite and Alive: New Drawings focuses on the wildlife of Chesapeake Bay.

The Arboretum explains that Clark’s drawings of oysters, animals and birds are drawn absent of any background. Their isolation on white paper emphasizes the rich textures and forms of their shells, fur or feathers and the pure sense of aliveness of each one. It also isolates them from the rest of nature. They go on to explain that by “surrounding these creatures with empty space, Clark creates an underlying tension. The creatures she depicts are imperiled, cut off from the environments that created and sustained them. In doing this, she intimates not only the effects of pollution, habitat loss and climate change on individual species but, even more significantly, the loss of human consciousness of our intimate connections with the delicate balance of life on earth.”

An artist all her life, Clark credits Leslie Exton of the botanical illustration program at Corcoran College of Art with helping her learn to draw. She says that Exton “taught us very particular techniques and it opened up a whole new world for me.”

Meet Rebecca Clark this weekend at the artist reception on Saturday,
August 15 from 3-5 pm.

New at “Exhibitions to Visit”

Clark’s exhibition is only one of four exhibitions to be held at Adkins Arboretum. The following events have been posted to the Exhibitions to Visit page:

NEW

Finite and Alive: New Drawings

NEW
Unnatural Nature
Outdoor sculpture by Howard and Mary McCoy
Visitor’s Center Gallery
Adkins Arboretum
Ridgely, MD
June 1 – September 30, 2015

NEW
Leaf Impressions
Dominie Nash
Visitor’s Center Gallery
Adkins Arboretum
Ridgely, MD
October 6 – November 27, 2015
Reception October 24, 3-5 p.m.

NEW
The Art of Nature
Adkins Arboretum Botanical Art Students
Visitor’s Center Gallery
Adkins Arboretum
Ridgely, MD
December 1, 2015 – January 29, 2016
Reception December 5, 3-5 p.m.

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Draw plant life at Lewisham Arthouse in London

Posted in Education, Learning Opportunities on August 12, 2015|

Here is the latest update from Alison Day at Classes Near You > England:

Lewisham Arthouse, London
www.lewishamarthouse.co.uk
The Lewisham Arthouse once served as the central library of Deptford. Designed by architect Sir Alfred Brumwell Thomas (1868-1948) and funded by Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), this former library is now a public gallery and studio space for professional artists. Artist studios are open to the public once per year. Exhibitions in the gallery are open to the public year-round, free of charge. Botanical illustration classes are taught by Alison Day.

Drawing from Plant Life

This introductory course aims to provide an opportunity to explore the art and science of botanical Illustration. Students will have the opportunity to explore both drawing and painting plants while learning a range of graphic techniques used to represent plant material. Some basic theory is taught and where relevant historical and contemporary practice is referenced. The course is taught by a practicing artist who has a background in the science of botany and the practice of fine art.

Students are asked to bring their own ideas and specimens to the course. Basic materials are provided, together with reference literature, students must provide their own sketch book, pencils and colors.

All are welcome, no experience needed. This is a small class taught in a supportive and relaxed environment. Places are limited so booking is required.

Cost:
£95/90 concessions
View Details/Register

Directions:
The Lewisham Arthouse, 140 Lewisham Way, New Cross, SE14 6PD
Transport : BR/Overground New Cross/New Cross Gate
Bus 136, 21, 436, 321
Disabled access

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‘Botanical Oddities’, a summer exhibition by the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California

Posted in botanical art, Education, Learning Opportunities, Special Events on August 3, 2015|

Click to download invitation

The Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California celebrates plant diversity this week in “Botanical Oddities”, an adjunct exhibition of botanical art shown in conjunction with the southern California showing of Weird, Wild & Wonderful: The New York Botanical Garden Second Triennial Exhibition, Botanical Illustrations of Remarkable Plants, a traveling exhibition curated by the American Society of Botanical Artists. Both exhibitions are now on view at the Frances Lasker Brody Botanical Center at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, CA.

Exhibition hours are as follows:

Botanical Oddities

Weird, Wild & Wonderful: The New York Botanical Garden Second Triennial Exhibition, Botanical Illustrations of Remarkable Plants
Flora-Legium Room
June 13 – August 23, 2015
Open Saturday & Sunday only
10:30 – 4:30 pm

Visit The Huntington

Related

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Haven Community Gardens hosts classes in botanical drawing and nature poetry

Posted in Education, Learning Opportunities on August 3, 2015|

Welcome The Trustees of Reservations to Classes Near You > Massachusetts!

The Trustees of Reservations
www.thetrustees.org
The Trustees preserve properties of scenic, historic and ecological value in Massachusetts and manage almost 25,000 acres for public use and enjoyment. A botanical drawing class and a nature poetry class begin this week. What a wonderful way to blend botany, botanical art and poetry.

Botanical Drawing in Colored Pencil

Cost: $35 members, $45 non-members (per session)
View Details/Register

Poetry Writing & Performance
Rutland Washington
Rutland’s Haven Community Gardens
Wednesdays, August 5, 12, 19, 26
6-8 pm
Write and draw in your journals! Learn about the broad genre of Nature Poetry and focus on writing and the art of poetry performance. In this class, voice, form and image are considered. Some writing experience recommended.

Cost: $140 members, $180 non-members (for 4-session course)
View Details/Register

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Earn certificate in science illustration in 40-week program

Posted in Education, Learning Opportunities, scientific illustration on July 29, 2015|

The online program in scientific illustration founded by Gretchen Kai Halpert has a new website! Fall classes begin in August.

Here’s the latest at Classes Near You > New York:

Gretchen Kai Halpert
www.gretchenhalpert.com
Gretchen Kai Halpert is the founder and instructor of a new online program in scientific illustration. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Gretchen has many years of experience working as a scientific illustrator and teaching programs about natural science illustration.

Learn more about the distance learning program in scientific illustration at http://www.gretchenhalpert-distanceprogram.com.

Scientific Illustration Distance Learning Program

Session I
September 21 – November 23, 2015 (ten weeks)
7:00 p.m. EDT (New York time)
The first session of this distance learning program addresses the basics of scientific illustration, including the following topics: graphite, perspective, proportion, scientific conventions, lighting, textures, transferring, scanning. Students will receive handouts, learn from tutorials and engage with one another through live video conferencing.

Session II
September 16 – November 18, 2015 (ten weeks)
7:00 p.m. EDT (New York time)
In Session II, students will learn about the following topics: pen and ink, crow quill, technique, composition, editorial, scratchboard, anatomy, professional practices, final projects. Students will receive handouts, learn from tutorials and engage with one another through live video conferencing.

Session III
August 11 – October 13, 2015
7:00 p.m. EDT (New York time)
Students will learn about watercolor techniques, digital options and continue to learn about composition. Final projects and prep work for internships and independent studies are also a part of this session. Students will receive handouts, learn from tutorials and engage with one another through live video conferencing.

Cost per 10-week session: $990 USD (more info)

Contact Gretchen at ghalpert@stny.rr.com for more information Contact Gretchen Halpert for information.