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Archive for the ‘Learning Opportunities’ Category

Medicinal Plants of Rome

Posted in Education, History, Learning Opportunities on May 9, 2012| 1 Comment »

Scholar Alain Touwaide, co-founder of the Institute for the Preservation of Medical Traditions and expert about medicinal plants found in Renaissance herbals, will present Ancient Roman Gardens as Urban Pharmacopeia on July 18. This presentation is one of many special learning opportunities provided by The Smithsonian Associates. In his presentation, Alain will discuss how the population boom in ancient Rome created a shortage of medicinal plants.

For a complete description of Alain’s presentation, and to purchase tickets, click here.

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The Need for Botany Instruction

Posted in botanical art, botany, Education, general botany, Learning Opportunities on May 7, 2012|

Today, guest Liz Leech shares with us the moment she realized botany classes for artists were necessary. She says she knew botany classes would be helpful when…

A couple of fellow students on the diploma course produced wonderful paintings marred by obvious botanical errors (e.g. one had put in a leaf to make the composition better but had upset the natural leaf pattern on the branch, and could not “see” anything wrong with her painting). Others had on-going problems understanding the structure of some flowers and how the parts related to each other. Various fellow students then started to ask me questions and to ask for help with their botanical concerns. Once we founded the Florilegium, over time, I was asked to do a range of sessions on botanical topics for my fellow members. I also started to teach botany-based courses for artists at West Dean College, a new idea at the time. This in turn lead to my “distilling” information in the form of a series of notes to be handed out after I had delivered workshops, using lots of plant material, on different topics – starting with floral structure, fruits, ferns, fungi etc. Anything of interest or considered difficult.

Join this conversation already in progress…

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New Botanical Art Classes Announced at Wellesley College Botanic Gardens

Posted in botanical art, drawing, Education, gardening, general botany, Learning Opportunities on May 7, 2012| 1 Comment »

Click to download flyer

The Wellesley College Friends of Horticulture has changed its name to Friends of Wellesley College Botanic Garden. The Friends’ listing in the Classes Near You section has been updated.

Here is what you’ll find at Classes Near You > Massachusetts:


Friends of Wellesley College Botanic Gardens
Certificate Program in Botanical Art and Illustration
www.wellesley.edu/wcbgfriends
This program offers several weekly and two- or three-day classes on botanical art and scientific illustration with Sarah Roche and Jeanne Kunze and seminars with visiting instructors including Susan Fisher, D. L. Friedman, Kathie Miranda, Carol Ann Morley, Kate Nessler, Elaine Searle, Catherine Watters and more. The courses offered through this program cover all aspects of botanical art. The following is only a glimpse of what this program offers:

  • Foundations of Botanical Drawing and Painting
  • Techniques of Botanical Drawing and Painting
  • Plant Drawing for the Petrified
  • On Location: Daylilies with Sarah Roche
  • Fruit from the Orchard
  • Botanical Painting on Vellum
  • Flowers as They Grow
  • Playing with Transparency: Colored Pencil on Mylar

    • View current schedule & instructor bios


Additional Learning Opportunities
Daylilies at Collamore Field Gardens – July 17-19, 2012; 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM. Learn about daylilies at Collamore Field Gardens, an American Hemerocallis Society Display Garden featuring over 650 varieties of daylilies. Sketch lilies in the garden during peak bloom and learn how to transform your sketch into a watercolor painting in the studio. Botanical artist and instructor, Sarah Roche, will show you how! Cost: WCFG Friends Members $225, Non-members, $275. To register, contact wcbgfriends@wellesley.edu or call (781) 283-3094.

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Botanical Illustration Courses at Cornell Begin June 4

Posted in botanical art, Education, Learning Opportunities on May 2, 2012|

View details for each course and read about the program’s successful outcomes below and at Classes Near You > New York.


Cornell University Department of Horticulture
http://hort.cals.cornell.edu/
The Department of Horticulture at Cornell University has expanded their schedule of online courses to include an advanced techniques course in botanical illustration. The Cornell University Department of Horticulture now offers a certificate in botanical illustration through the Office of Continuing Education. This certificate program is composed of the following courses: Botanical Illustration I: Basic Drawing Techniques, Botanical Illustration II: Working with Watercolor and Botanical Illustration III: Advanced Techniques.

    Botanical Illustration I: Basic Drawing Techniques
    June 4 – July 21, 2012
    Students will work in pencil and pen-and-ink. Topics include: observing nature, drawing, composition, perspective, foreshortening, and how to use light to give botanical drawings three-dimensional form. Cost: $500. Limit: 15 students.
    View syllabus and register

    Botanical Illustration II: Working with Watercolor
    June 4 – July 21, 2012
    In this introductory course about color, students will continue their study of plants. Emphasis will be on simpler subjects such as a single-stem flower, fruit, and vegetables. Cost: $500. Limit: 15 students.
    View syllabus and register

    Botanical Illustration III: Advanced Techniques
    June 4 – July 21, 2012
    In this class, students will explore various media and develop a portfolio of work. Students will develop a proficiency in botanical drawing using pastels, colored pencil, pen and ink, pencil and chalk. Cost: $400. Limit: 15 students. View syllabus and register

A Botanical Illustration Certificate of Completion from the Department of Horticulture, Cornell University, will be awarded upon the successful completion of all three botanical illustration courses.

View Cornell University’s horticulture distance learning courses


Program News
Cornell’s Winter 2012 classes in botanical illustration produce successful student outcomes. Read More

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Exhibition of Botanical Drawings at The Gallery London

Posted in botanical art, Education, Learning Opportunities, Special Announcements, Special Events on May 2, 2012|

Originally trained in botany, Alison Day transitioned into a more creative lifestyle by training at Goldsmiths College and The London Metropolitan University. A former photographer, Alison returned to drawing after an accident left her studio bound for a considerable time.

An artist for over 20 years, Alison’s drawings and paintings reflect a love for, and understanding of, the natural environment. Her work speaks to her process of looking, reflecting and communicating the essence of plants. Alison explains:

This work takes time and a meditative patience. Some have commented that the process must be therapeutic, which it is. But then doesn’t artistic practice by its very nature perform this function? The work attempts to imbue the viewer with the same feeling of meditative peace. As an artist, I invite the viewer to take time to look, not something we often give ourselves the pleasure of doing.

Interested in learning more about botanical illustration?

A “taster session” for those interested in botanical art will be held on Saturday, May 27, 2012 from 1:00 – 2:30 PM. All are welcome. Please bring your own drawing or painting materials.


About The Gallery London
The Gallery London promotes the creative expressions of local artists. They provide both established and emerging artists the opportunity to work in a creative environment and the opportunity to promote and exhibit their work. The Gallery hosts art classes for children and adults, as well as a cafe and a vintage boutique. The Gallery is located at 132 Hither Green Lane, SE13 6QA. For more information, contact Larissa at The Gallery London.

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Botanist Dedicated to Botany Education for Botanical Artists

Posted in botanical art, botany, Education, general botany, Learning Opportunities on May 1, 2012| 29 Comments »

Lizabeth Leech is a botanist, botanical artist, teacher and author. Liz has worked as a botanist at the Field Studies Council, taught biology in Australia, studied the flora and fauna of Australia as a postgraduate student, taught high school for 20 years and worked as a research assistant in soft fruit breeding and in a tissue culture lab growing eucalyptus and acacia trees. In the years leading to retirement, Liz began to study botanical illustration.

Since graduating from the diploma course in botanical painting at the English Gardening School in 2002, Liz has become a founding member of the Hampton Court Palace Florilegium Society, developed short courses in botany for artists and written the new book, Botany for Artists, released in the US just this morning!

Please welcome Liz Leech, the Featured Botanist for May!


A Conversation with Liz
Instead of publishing a complete interview like I normally do on the first day of the month, Liz and I will work together to lead this month’s conversation. We are slowing down our dialogue so that you can comment and ask questions as the conversation develops.

The conversation with Liz will advance every 2-3 days when I will ask our guest a new question. To comment or to ask a question at any time, click in the Comment box below and enter your comment or question. Before you click the Post Comment button, be sure to check the box next to “Notify me of follow-up comments via email”. By checking this box, you will be able to follow the conversation from your inbox.

Let’s begin!

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The American Society of Botanical Artists Unveils New Website

Posted in botanical art, Education, Learning Opportunities on April 25, 2012| 1 Comment »

The American Society of Botanical Artists unveiled their new website on Monday. Be sure you take a look! Upon arriving at the new site, you will be greeted by a beautiful rotating display of member artwork and the latest event and exhibition news. You will also find information about past, current and upcoming exhibitions.

Make sure you drop-in on the online galleries showcasing new work by ASBA members and historical works of botanical art. The Virtual Gallery currently features an exhibition entitled “Grey Matters”, showing that botanical art doesn’t always come in color.

The Education section includes a list of classes taught by ASBA members, a list of instructors organized by state, books about botanical art, how-to tutorials from past issues of The Botanical Artist (the ASBA’s journal), articles about the science of botanical art, and advice for aspiring collectors. There is also a section about technology.

Articles and images from past conferences can also be viewed on the new site. Read about the fun and the field trips at the 2008 conference in Pasadena, how ASBA members enjoyed the Valley of Sun (Phoenix) in 2009, and get a glimpse of what members saw at the Glass Flowers Collection at Harvard Museum of Natural History during last year’s conference in Boston. Every three years the ASBA conference is held in Pittsburgh, in conjunction with the international exhibition of botanical art hosted by the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation. Read about the 2010 event and look ahead to 2013!

Have you ever read the ASBA’s journal, The Botanical Artist? Don’t miss out on the opportunity to read a sample issue you can download for free. It is filled with interesting articles and ASBA-related news.

With the new site, comes a new Web address.

Add www.asba-art.org to your bookmarks!

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