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Archive for the ‘Education’ Category

Botanical Illustration and Photography Workshops at Lewisham Arthouse in London

Posted in botanical art, Education, Learning Opportunities, Photography on August 21, 2013|

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 features 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. Ten-week botanical illustration and photography 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 historical and contemporary practice is referenced. This course is taught by a practicing artist who has a background in botany and fine art.

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

All are welcome, no experience needed. This is a small class and provides a supportive and relaxed environment in which to draw.

Space is limited, early registration required. Cost: £95/90 concessions

35 mm SLR Photography Skills Course
Wednesdays, September 25 – December 4, 2013
6:00 – 7:30 PM

Taught by photographer Alison Day, this ten-week workshop provides an opportunity to learn about SLR photography at a theoretical and practical level. The course is aimed at beginners and people who would like to update existing knowledge.

Darkroom chemicals and equipment will be provided. Students must bring their own camera and buy basic materials (e.g 35mm film and photographic paper). All abilities welcome.

The courses is run in Alison’s studio. Space is limited, early registration required. Cost: £95/90 concessions

For additional information and to register for either course, contact Alison at the Lewisham Arthouse.

Transport to Lewisham Arthouse:

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Communicating Science, Technology, Innovation and Art in Arizona

Posted in Art, Education, Learning Opportunities, Special Announcements, Special Events, Technology on August 20, 2013|

Contributor, Arizona SciTech Festival

Hundreds of Arizona’s business, science and education leaders will gather in Scottsdale for the Second Annual Arizona SciTech Festival Kickoff Conference on September 4, 2013. The conference will be held 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts located at 7380 E. Second Street (map). The free, day-long event is open to those wanting to learn more about integrating STEM education into their communities. STEM education, which focuses on science, technology, engineering and math, is the backbone discipline of Arizona’s new economy.

The Arizona SciTech Festival Kickoff Conference will include 16 thought-provoking panel discussions, a keynote address and roughly 50 interactive stations, where collaborating organizations from the Arizona SciTech Festival will demonstrate STEM activities. The conference offers a unique opportunity to network with some of the state’s top STEM professionals, learn best practices in communicating STEM, as well as strategies to engage communities, local schools and businesses.

“The conference is an intersection point for leaders to form partnerships and build upon STEM activities they can implement in their communities during our annual spring festival,” said Jeremy Babendure, Executive Director of the Arizona SciTech Festival. “It offers a platform to engage new collaborators and links content providers with venues throughout the state, which translates into a stronger network and a more impactful Arizona SciTech Festival.”

“A statewide commitment to STEM education is critical to developing an ongoing pipeline of future talent to build and sustain Arizona’s workforce and strengthen its economy,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority, who is a panelist at this year’s conference. “Bringing the private and public sectors together in this forum to collaborate and lead on this issue is vital for our state’s success and global competitiveness.”

Conference sponsors include Cox Communications, Challenger Space Center, the City of Scottsdale and EventInterface.

The Kickoff Conference begins with a 7:30 a.m. breakfast mixer. Programming begins at 8:30 a.m. and continues until 6 p.m. The conference keynote presentation beginning at 3:45 p.m. will feature Geoff Notkin, star of TV’s “Meteorite Men” and Skylab Astronaut Dr. Ed Gibson. Notkin and Gibson will team up to provide unique perspectives on how they’ve worked to make the understanding and appreciation of science part of mainstream living.

Conference Schedule:

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Morning sessions and networking

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Lunch break (enjoy one of dozens of restaurants steps from the conference)

1:00 – 3:45 p.m.
Afternoon sessions and networking

3:45 – 4:45 p.m.
Keynote address

4:45 – 6:00 p.m.
Reception (visit 50 interactive tables hosted by collaborators and partners)

Panel discussions scheduled for the Arizona SciTech Festival Kickoff Conference include:

Festival Events & Best Practices
Festival Boons, Barriers and Dreams
Finding the Teachable Moment in Your STEM Activity
The Maker Movement: Connecting Innovation, STEM and Creativity
How to Evaluate Your Festival Event
In Schools
Supporting the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in Arizona
How Parents Can Support Their Kids in STEM
Student Panel: What Makes Science Exciting for Kids?
Bringing Science Festival Events to Your Schools
In Society
Using TV to Communicate Science
Teaching Science through Sports
How Do Interdisciplinary Arts Foster Creative Thinking and Discovery?
Vision 2020: Sustainability Challenges for Our Future
In the Workforce
Arizona: Step Up to Meet the Challenges of a Global Economy with STEM
Enhancing Business: Educator Relationships with STEM
Arizona Cities @ Work: How Cities Can Showcase STEM and Innovation to Their Communities
“Balancing Acts: Women Role Models in STEM”

About the Arizona SciTech Festival
The Arizona SciTech Festival is a six-week, statewide celebration of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) held annually in February and March. Through a series of more than 300 expos, workshops, conversations, exhibitions and tours held in diverse neighborhoods throughout the state, the festival excites and informs Arizonans age 3 to 103 how STEM will drive our state. Spearheaded by its Foundational Partners the Arizona Commerce Authority, Arizona Science Center, Arizona Technology Council, Arizona State University, and The University of Arizona, the Arizona SciTech Festival is a grassroots collaboration of more than 350 organizations in industry, academia, arts, civic, community and K-12. Visit azscitechfest.org for more.

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Contra Costa Master Gardeners Sustainability Fair

Posted in botanical art, Education, environmental education, gardening, general botany, Learning Opportunities, Special Announcements, Special Events on August 20, 2013|

The Contra Costa Master Gardeners (CCMG) invite you to the Sustainability Fair celebrating their 30th anniversary of promoting healthy gardening. The Sustainability Fair will be held
September 7, 2013 from 10 AM – 3 PM at the CCMG garden in Walnut Creek, CA on the corner of N. Wiget Lane and Shadelands Drive (map).

“Growing your own vegetables can be a first step in a sustainable, healthy lifestyle that connects you in new ways to the food you eat”, according to Jackie Kennedy, CCMG Association President of the all-volunteer organization.

Visit the Sustainability Fair to learn about canning and preserving, growing winter vegetables, raising chickens, beekeeping, and making compost. You can also learn about sustainable strategies such as recycling, sheet mulching, smart-water usage and how to replace a lawn using the drought-tolerant UC Davis Arboretum All-Stars. Attend lectures, buy plants, go on a self-guided tour of the garden, enjoy healthful food and have fun with the kids in the Children’s Activity Center.

Sounds like a grand celebration and the perfect launch to a new school year!

Master Gardeners are educators trained by the University of California in horticulture, pest management and home gardening. Among the program’s goals is to produce an annual crop of educated volunteers to join the ranks of seasoned Master Gardeners. This year, Contra Costa Master Gardeners (CCMG) celebrates 30 years of providing research-based, sustainable gardening advice to home gardeners.

View Fair Schedule, Get Directions

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The Rise of Women as Botanical Illustrators

Posted in botanical art, Education, general botany, Learning Opportunities, Special Announcements, Special Events on August 14, 2013|

Image courtesy of Lenhardt Library, Chicago Botanic Garden. All rights reserved.

The Feminine Perspective:
Women Artists and Illustrators
Lenhardt Library
Chicago Botanic Garden
August 23 – November 10, 2013

Next week an exhibition of rare and beautiful works by some of the first women to achieve prominence in the field of botanical illustration will go on display at the Lenhardt Library in the
Regenstein Center of the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Coinciding with the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in Illinois, this exhibition is the library’s first exhibition exclusively about women. Leora Siegel, Director of the Lenhardt Library, will give a presentation about the lives of these pioneering women and their detailed illustrations. This presentation will occur on Sunday, September 29, 2013 and begin at 2 p.m.

Volumes from the library’s rare book collection provide a published record of the advancement of women as botanical artists and illustrators. The exhibition will include the work of Lady Harriet Ann Thiselton-Dyer, who took over as illustrator for Curtis’s Botanical Magazine in 1878. Also featured will be an earlier British artist, Henrietta Maria Moriarty; Frenchwoman Henriette Antoinette Vincent, who was connected to the royal court of Napoleon; and Americans Ellen Robbins and Helen Sharp.

This exhibition of illustrations is part of the library’s ongoing effort to make digital copies of its collection available to the public through the Illinois Digital Archives. To view the library’s digitized rare books, visit the page for the Chicago Botanic Garden Lenhardt Library.

About the Chicago Botanic Garden
The Chicago Botanic Garden opened to the public in 1972 and is managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society, accredited by the American Association of Museums and a member of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). It is the 12th largest tourist attraction in Chicago and is the area’s sixth largest cultural institution. The Chicago Botanic Garden is a 385-acre living plant museum featuring 26 distinct gardens and four natural areas. Admission is free; select event fees apply. Parking is $25 per car; free for Garden members.

Follow the Garden on these social media sites:
Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Flickr, YouTube.

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Leaf Lab to Open at Brenton Arboretum

Posted in botanical art, botany, Education, Learning Opportunities, nature, Reference, Special Announcements, Special Events on August 13, 2013|

Attention teachers, naturalists and artists near Dallas Center, Iowa!

The Leaf Lab at the Brenton Arboretum will open on August 20, 2013 and will be open every Wednesday from 1-4 PM through November 13, 2013. Visitors to the lab will learn about leaf morphology and plant identification. They will also be able to compare leaves in their personal collections to leaves in the lab and to leaves on the trees in the Arboretum’s living collection.

Cost: $5 lab contribution per visit

Learn more about the Brenton Arboretum, their classes and other services at www.thebrentonarboretum.org. Follow them on Twitter (@brentontrees) and Facebook.

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Millenium Catalog Clearance

Posted in ArtPlantae Books, botanical art, botanical art books, Education, History, Special Announcements, Special Events on August 13, 2013|

BotanicalArtIntoThirdMillenium Sales of the wildly popular Italian catalog, Botanical Art into the Third Millenium, are winding down. Unsold catalogs need to be returned to Italy at the end of the month. Only eleven copies remain. After these copies are sold (or returned to the publisher), this catalog must be ordered from the publisher in Pisa, Italy.

The eleven remaining copies are the “hurts” — catalogs that received bumped corners during their trip to California (see example). The pages of these catalogs are in new condition, clean and secure in the book.

Bumped corners, interior pages clean and tight. 15% off, plus free US shipping.

To move these copies out, we’re having a hurts sale. These eleven copies are priced at 15% off and will ship free to any US address.

The catalog is paperback, has 244 pages and illustrations. The exhibition features over 150 pieces of art, including work by Margaret Stones, Rory McEwen and Margaret Mee, as well as art from the Shirley Sherwood Collection.

Pages 1-69 present the collection and the exhibition. They contain about 12 illustrated pages. Pages 70-235 are the catalogue. The catalogue is divided in 5 sections. Each section has a 2 page presentation (1 page in Italian, 1 page in English). So out of 165 pages, 10 of them are text only, 155 are full-page illustrations. Pages 236-243 are index pages. The book is 7.9″ x 10.5″.

To add this catalog to your library while it is still being shipped from California, go to ArtPlantae Books.

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ArtPlantae Books Expands, Offers Textbook Rentals

Posted in ArtPlantae Books, Blog News, Education, Learning Opportunities, Special Announcements, Special Events, Technology on August 9, 2013|

Rent textbooks from ArtPlantae Books

Think textbooks are too expensive? So do I.

So, new for this year, students can rent their textbooks through ArtPlantae’s new, state-of-the-art online textbook rental store found at http://artplantaebooks.bookrenterstore.com powered by BookRenter. Renting textbooks typically saves students an average of 75% off the price of the book, which can mean thousands of dollars over a college career, and renting from ArtPlantae Books helps to support ArtPlantae.

The store has access to more than 5,000,000 high-quality U.S. edition titles. It’s easy to use – once you search for and select your books, you simply choose a shipping option and enter your payment information, and your books will arrive at your door within a few days. Standard shipping is free both ways, and almost any book is available in 2 days using the Express Plus shipping option.

You can rent textbooks for any of 5 different time periods, and can always extend rentals or buy books outright at any time, and rental fees apply towards the purchase price of the book. This means you never pay more to rent than the purchase price of a book. You can also write or highlight in your rentals just as with purchased books (just don’t turn it into a work of art), and, like Netflix, returns are always easy and free.

ArtPlantae’s new bookstore powered by BookRenter also offers a 5-Star Satisfaction Guarantee. You can return books for any reason within 21 days, no questions asked. Every order is available for express shipping, and return shipping is always free. You are guaranteed that you will be happy with the quality of your books (or you’ll be shipped another at no cost). You can extend a rental at any time – at the same cheap daily rate. And, keeping a book will never cost more than the purchase price.

Over 500 college bookstores at schools like the University of Texas-Austin, University of Kansas, Arizona State University have also chosen BookRenter to power their textbook rental stores. Did I mention you can search for books by school and course?

To start saving on textbook rentals while also supporting ArtPlantae’s efforts to encourage an interest in plants, visit http://artplantaebooks.bookrenterstore.com.

Please share this exciting news with friends, students, and colleagues. Thank you!

About BookRenter
BookRenter launched in 2008 and is dedicated to making education more affordable by allowing students to rent textbooks for up to 75% off the retail price. BookRenter’s innovative pricing and operating systems provide students with the best price, highest quality books, and most flexible rental experience available today. Currently carrying over 5 million titles and serving thousands of students on over 5,000 U.S. campuses, BookRenter is one of the fastest growing startups in Silicon Valley, growing at over 400% each year. BookRenter, with offices in San Mateo, California, is a private company that is funded by prominent Silicon Valley venture capital firms.

About ArtPlantae Books
ArtPlantae Books complements the educational resource ArtPlantae.com. It serves a community of artists, naturalists, and educators pursuing interests in plant-based education, botanical art, environmental education, and STEM / STEAM education. ArtPlantae Books is a member of the American Booksellers Association.