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Archive for the ‘gardening’ Category

Here are new updates for Sibley Nature Center in Midland, Texas:


Sibley Nature Center, Midland

www.sibleynaturecenter.org
This 49-acre site is home to programs educating the public about the southern Llano Estacado and surrounding area. Museum specialist and scientific illustrator, Michael M. Nickell, teaches the Center’s courses about nature drawing and journaling. He has been a professional practicing scientific illustrator and nature artists for over 30 years. He clients include National Geographic, Texas Parks and Wildlife, The Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock Lake Landmark, The University of Texas at Austin, The University of Oklahoma, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, The Square House Museum, Encyclopedia Britannica, and others.

  • Introduction to Nature Drawing – September 12 & 26,
    October 10 & 24 and November 7, 2011; 6:30 – 8:30 PM.
    Cost $50 members, $80 nonmembers.
  • How to Use Your Digital Camera – September 12 & 14, 2011; 6-8 PM. Cost: $25 members, $35 nonmembers. Instructor: Richard Galle
  • Natural Dyes – October 20, 2011; 7-8 PM. Learn how to dye cloth or yarn using plant material such as onion skin, agarita root, broomweed leaves and more. This special presentation is free for Sibley members, $10 for nonmembers. Instructor: Ethel Matthews

This information can also be viewed at Classes Near You > Texas.

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Make note of the following updated information at Classes Near You > Iowa:

Brenton Arboretum, Dallas Center

www.thebrentonarboretum.org
The Brenton Arboretum is a 140-acre arboretum established in 1997 featuring 2,600 trees and shrubs. Most of the more than 175 species of trees and shrubs are organized by species to ease learning and to emphasize the importance of trees in our world. The event schedule for 2011 includes:

  • Founder’s Tour of Trees – Saturday, September 10, 2011; 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM. Discover the beauty of trees and shrubs with founder, Buz Brenton. This walking tour is free for children and members. View a list of trees and shrubs in Brenton Arboretum’s collection online. Non-members, $5 per adult. Please contact the Education/Outreach Director to register or call (515) 992-4211.
  • Leaf Collection Identification Workshop – Wednesday, September 21, 2011. Drop-in between 2:00- 4:30 PM
  • Make A Leaf Collection Book
    Saturday, September 24, 2011; 9-12 AM.
  • Second Annual Leaf Collection Exhibition
    Sunday, November 6, 2011; 1-4 PM.

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The Illustrated Garden, A Studio Blog

http://valwebb.wordpress.com
See Val Webb’s online tutorial, Botanical Drawing with Pencil and Watercolor. Connect with The Illustrated Garden on Facebook!

  • Drawing Small Mammals – Saturday, September 24, 2011;
    10 AM – 4 PM. Create the texture of fur and the expressive eyes of animals living in coastal Alabama using graphite and colored pencils. No experience necessary! All art supplies provided. Location: 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center (on the Causeway). Cost: $50. Registration deadline is Wednesday, September 21, 2011.
  • Mini-Workshop: Drawing Birds – Saturday, October 15, 2011; 2-5 PM. This workshop will be taught in conjunction with a Bird Day scheduled at Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Mobile, AL. Details to be announced.
  • Draw and Paint Holiday Botanicals – Saturday, November 12, 2011; 10 AM – 3 PM. After choosing from a selection of flowers and plants associated with the Christmas season, students will select their choice of paper and then receive step-by-step instruction about how to draw and paint their specimen using gouache and colored pencils. Finished designs can be used as gifts or holiday cards. Limit: 12. Cost: $50, art supplies included. Location: Val’s studio cottage in Mobile, AL.
  • Draw & Paint the Kitchen Garden – Weekly Studio Class (see schedule below). This is botanical art with a twist…combine seasonal fall garden subjects (fresh herbs, flowering plants, heirloom vegetables) with tools of the kitchen and garden world. Learn to draw the reflection on a platter, the folds of a tablecloth, the worn surface of an antique eggbeater or the transparency of a Mason jar. Choose your favorite medium (pencil, colored pencil, watercolor or gouache) each week and receive individual guidance. Supplies provided, no experience necessary. Class size limited.
      Val’s Studio in Fairhope: Tuesdays
      September 20 – October 24, 2011; 2-5 PM.

      Val’s Studio Cottage in Mobile
      : Thursdays
      September 15 – October 20, 2011; 2-5 PM.

      Val’s Studio Cottage in Mobile
      : Thursdays
      September 15 – October 20, 2011; 6:30-8:30 PM.

    Registration Info: Contact Val to register at studio@valwebb.com. Payment must be received to reserve your place in class.

This information can also be found at Classes Near You > Alabama.

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The Illustrated Garden, A Studio Blog

http://valwebb.wordpress.com
See Val Webb’s online tutorial, Botanical Drawing with Pencil and Watercolor. Connect with The Illustrated Garden on Facebook!

  • Creative Watercolor 101
    Tuesdays, August 2 – September 6, 2011; 2-5 PM (six weeks). 
    No drawing required! Learn how to use washes, glazing and dry brush techniques to create skies, trees and textures found in nature. Create light and shadow with transparent watercolor and learn about “reverse painting.” Also learn how everyday household items can be used as innovative painting tools. No experienced necessary. Cost: $120, a supply list will be sent upon registration. Contact Val Webb if you plan to participate. Location: Val’s studio in Fairhope, AL.
  • Old and New: The Lost Art of Hand Lettering… and a New Way to Make “Vintage” Photo Transfers – Saturday, August 6, 2011;
    10 AM – 3 PM. This is not calligraphy, but the “drawn letters” used by old-fashioned sign painters and type designers. Learn to adapt this method to label your botanical artwork or write beautifully in your sketchbook or art journal. Learn how to letter on curves, how to use perspective in your lettering, and how to design your own personal lettering style. After lunch in a nearby cafe, learn how to transfer photos. Val will show you how to transfer a vintage-looking image to paper, cloth or wood using butcher’s paper and acrylic medium. The original photo is not affected in any way, and the final product has a hauntingly ephemeral look that is quite beautiful. Plus, you will learn how to tint your transfer with watercolor for a more impressionistic result. This works especially well with old family photos and garden subjects.  Embellish a journal or family album, make truly lovely greeting cards, frame them as keepsakes or gifts — the possibilities go on and on.  Class size is limited. Early registration required. Cost: $60 includes art supplies and illustrated tutorial pages to take home. Contact Val Webb if you plan to participate. Location: Val’s studio cottage in Mobile, AL.
  • Color Mixing Workshop – Saturday,
    August 13, 2011; 10 AM – 3 PM. Learn how to identify the colors you need and how to mix them efficiently without guesswork or waste. Experiment with “bouncing color” and learn how to mix the three types of color shadows. Pigments and paint labels will also be discussed. Cost: $60, includes, art supplies. Contact Val Webb if you plan to participate. Limit: 8
  • Make-Up or Finish-Up Day for Students in Weekly Classes. Saturday, August 20, 2011; 10 AM – 4 PM. Val’s studio cottage in Mobile, AL. Students making up a missed class or finishing a project on this day must notify Val in advance so she can bring the necessary materials.
  • Printmaking Workshop: Botanical Collagraph – Saturday, September 10, 2011; 10 AM – 4 PM. Use collected botanical material (herbs, wildflowers, seed heads and more) plus textured papers to create your own unique designs on printing plates, then ink and print them using a hand-operated etching press. Finished prints can be hand colored with watercolor and colored pencil if you wish. Wear an old shirt and be prepared for a day of creative fun. All supplies provided. Cost: $75.
  • Weekly Class: Draw and Paint the Kitchen Garden – This class is offered at both studios. Draw and paint seasonal culinary plants. Cooking and gardening subjects will also be drawn. No experience necessary.
    Cost: $140, includes all supplies.

    • Draw & Paint the Kitchen Garden (Mobile, AL) – Six-week daytime class begins Thursday September 15, 2011 and continues through October 20, 2011 (2-5 PM). Eight-week evening class begins Thursday, September 15, 2011 and continues through November 3, 2011 (6:30 – 8:30 PM).
    • Draw & Paint the Kitchen Garden (Fairhope, AL) – Six-week class begins Tuesday September 20 2011 and continues through October 25, 2011 (2-5 PM).

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The Department of Horticulture at Cornell University is expanding their schedule of online courses to include an advanced techniques course in botanical illustration. Cornell’s objective is to offer a certificate program comprised of Botanical Illustration I: Basic Drawing Techniques, Botanical Illustration II: Working with Watercolor and the third course in advanced techniques.

Botanical Illustration I & II will be taught again in January 2012. If you are interested in taking these classes and would like to be notified when registration opens in December 2011, please notify the distance learning program or watch for announcements on this site.


Cornell University Department of Horticulture

http://hort.cals.cornell.edu/
Two six-week botanical illustration classes are taught online through this department. A course syllabus for each class is available online. Click on the links below for complete details.

  • Botanical Illustration I: Basic Drawing Techniques
    Coming January 2012. Students will work in pencil and pen-and-ink. Topics include: observing nature, drawing, composition, perspective, shading. Cost: $500. Limit: 15 students. View the syllabus for this course. Register
  • Botanical Illustration II: Working with Watercolor
    Coming January 2012. In this introductory course about color, students are encouraged to continue their discovery of plants. Emphasis will be on simpler subjects such as a single-stem flower, fruit, and vegetables. Limit: 15 students. View syllabus & register

View Cornell University’s horticulture distance learning courses

This information has been posted to Classes Near You > New York.

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National Pollinator Week begins today.

So does our Ask the Artist with Mindy Lighthipe!

Later today, I will make Mindy’s interview the top story on this page. All new posts will appear below her interview. This will make it easier for you to follow the Q&A throughout the week and to post your question.

Have you planted a garden for pollinators? If so, tell us about it!

Would you like to create a garden for pollinators? The Pollinator Partnership has created planting guides for each region of the U.S. Visit their website to download a free Pollinator Friendly Planting Guide for your area.

Now is your chance to ask questions about botanical illustration, insect illustration and more. Let’s get the conversation started!

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Helen Shafer Garcia, Vista
http://www.helenshafergarcia.com
A garden illustrator for San Diego Home and Garden Magazine for 7 years, Helen is an avid gardener who manages a ½-acre garden filled with succulents and perennials. Helen teaches at the San Diego Botanic Garden, at artist retreats, and at conferences. Visit Helen’s website to view the many ways you can combine plants and art using watercolor, pastels, and mixed media.

  • Watercolor Journaling in the Garden – Sunday, July 17, 2011; 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM. Spend a day exploring plants and learn how to capture their details with watercolor and ink journaling. Participants will combine the drawing and painting of botanical elements with words. Discover form and color while developing a plant study. Cost: Members $65/ Non-members $75. Please register by July 13, 2011. Materials list provided upon registration. Register.
  • Watercolor Basics – Mondays, September 12 – November 7, 2011;
    1-4 PM. A class for first-time artists. Experience watercolor in a relaxed atmosphere. This class is more about process than the creation of a final project. Practice watercolor techniques, learn color theory and learn how to mix colors. Discover how to create surface textures too! Cost: $175. View details
  • Pastels: In the Studio and Plein Air – Wednesdays, September 14 – November 9,
    2011; 1-4 PM. Investigate nature-inspired subjects, explore techniques, and learn drawing skills in a relaxed atmosphere. This weekly class combines studio time with painting outdoors at locations such as the Santa Rosa Plateau and Elfin Forest Reserve. Cost: $175. View details
  • Contemporary Book Arts: Embellished and Stitched – Thursdays, September 15 to November 10, 2011; 1-4 PM. Discover the art of bookmaking using contemporary mixed media techniques. Explore endless possibilities. A great way to re-purpose art papers, unresolved paintings, ephemera and other assorted nature-found objects. Cost: $175. View details

This information has been added to Classes Near You > California.

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