We want to share a very practical resource with you. McCormick has a tool on its website that will help you determine the age of the spices in your drawer. All you need to do is enter the code on the bottom of your McCormick spice jar and select the location at which it was produced. Do not be surprised to find out that your little jar of poultry seasoning was made on 10/21/98! Do your own investigation with McCormick’s Spice Check Challenge.
If you do not like having to go to a specific place to view your RSS feed to this blog, allow us to relieve you of this burden. You now have the luxury of having new content delivered directly to your mailbox. All you need to do is take a moment to click on the link in the box titled, “Convenient Updates.” Enter your email address in the field provided and enter the spam-fighting code in the appropriate field. Within minutes, you will receive an email message asking you to confirm your subscription. Click on the confirmation link provided and you are good to go!
Posted in Blog News |
As botanical artists and illustrators, you do not need to be convinced of the value of plants. Your fascination with all things botanical fuels your respect for the botanical world and motivates you to select your subjects carefully so that you can portray them in informative and captivating ways. In spite of your collective energy, however, some of the most amazing flora have never been illustrated sufficiently because they are so rare. Take, for example, selected plant species in southern California that are known only by their genetics. In most cases, illustrations depicting their beauty are simply absent. The need to depict these species is critical.
People are often unaware that the flower they are walking past is actually a rare plant species. Unfortunately, only seasoned botanists and geneticists can identify these species. It is critical in situations like these that botanical illustrators describe these plants visually to others so that they can be better understood and appreciated.
Federal and state environmental agencies, as well as a few other groups, have developed a common classification system with which to describe the rarity of a species. This system classifies plants as being either endangered or threatened. Endangered species are species that are in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range. Threatened species are species that are likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. This classification system aids in species conservation. If these species were more reliably recognizable, this would facilitate the process of protecting them and describing them for future generations. The value of depicting these precious species is beyond measure and is unquestionably one of the most noble and fulfilling undertakings that can be pursued.
About Victor Horchar
Victor has been a professional environmental ecologist for 25 years, with detailed knowledge of natural history and legal protections afforded the native flora and fauna of southern California. As an environmental ecologist, Mr. Horchar works with private developers, the State of California and the federal government in designing development projects to minimize environmental impacts while maintaining project integrity. We are pleased to welcome Mr. Horchar as a contributor to ArtPlantae Today.
Posted in botanical art, Education, Special Articles & Interviews |
Scheduling a tour around the beginning of olive packing season can be a tricky thing because of the many external factors that can influence the start of the season. Fortunately, our conversations with the staff at Graber Olive House paid off. The canning season begins this weekend! This means that the packing house will be in operation during our tour on November 3rd. There is still time to sign-up, so if you would like to join in on the tour and sketchcrawl, then please RSVP at education@artplantae.com.
Posted in Learning Opportunities |
We decided to do some renovating at ArtPlantae.com and have moved some of the resources to our new blog. The blog is easier to update on-the-fly and is a better vehicle for news and communication. It provides us with opportunities that simply were not an option with the newsletter. We look forward to interacting with you more through ArtPlantae Today. Please make sure that you subscribe to our RSS feed to receive the latest news and information pertaining to botanical art and illustration.
Posted in About, botanical art |
ArtPlantae Today is the companion site to ArtPlantae.com and ArtPlantae Books. This blog, the educational website, and the bookstore were each created by ArtPlantae LLC, a resource provider specializing in botany and botanical art education whose objective is to encourage an interest in plants and nature through botanical illustration.
CONTACT US
ArtPlantae LLC
ArtPlantae Books
5225 Canyon Crest Drive, Ste. 71-127
Riverside, CA 92507
Tel: (951) 776-4696
Fax: (951) 776-4696
Main Office:
info@artplantae.com
(Note: Please write Inquiry on the subject line.)
ArtPlantae Books:
bookstore@artplantae.com
Education:
education@artplantae.com
Research:
research@artplantae.com
Posted in About, botanical art | 1 Comment »
ArtPlantae offers classes for anyone who may be interested in learning more about plants and how to draw them. The objective of these classes is to provide learning experiences that are fun and informative for all participants, regardless of skill level.
Draw What?! – Botanical Illustration for First-time Artists™
First-time artists will acquire an understanding of botany and will be introduced to the world of botanical art & illustration in this course. Participating artists will leave class with knowledge and with reference material that will enhance their continued learning in this discipline. Class participants will learn terminology pertaining to both botany and art. They will also learn how to observe plant specimens and learn how to capture plant forms onto paper. This class is ideal for gardeners who would like to learn how to begin to draw plants in their garden journals.
This five-session class will be taught at the Fullerton Arboretum on October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 (Wednesdays) from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the Pavilion Classroom. Cost: $125 per person. Pre-registration is required. To register, call (714) 278-4794, press 0. A materials list will be provided. Class limit: 10
Graber Olive House, Ontario, CA
We are excited to offer a new learning opportunity this Fall. In keeping with our mission to encourage an interest in botany, we will begin offering opportunities for artists, gardeners and all plant enthusiasts to learn more about the plants in their world. We are launching this new program with a trip to Graber Olive House to learn about the history of the Graber family and to observe an olive packing house in full swing during harvest season. We would like this field trip to serve as way for artists and gardeners to meet and to begin building a friendly network of plant enthusiasts who enjoy learning about plants, capturing plants on paper, and sharing what they know and what they learn with others. Please join us!
Graber Olive House, Saturday, November 3, 2007 at 10:00 am. Bring your sketchbooks or garden journals to share what you do with others over a picnic lunch; bring a sack lunch to enjoy at the picnic tables. Participants will receive a map. All participants will meet at the olive house.
Limit: 15
Cost: FREE
RSVP at education@artplantae.com
Posted in ArtPlantae Books, Education, Learning Opportunities |
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