ArtPlantae Today

Botanical Painting Workshops with Jeanne Debons

January 29, 2014 by Tania Marien

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Jeanne Debons Studio, Bend
www.jeannedebons.com
Botanist and botanical illustrator, Jeanne Debons, teaches small student-focused painting workshops at her Oregon studio. Dr. Debons received her Ph.D. in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University. She graduated from the diploma course in Botanical Painting at the English Gardening School in 2005. Dr. Debons invites you to join her painting workshops this Fall.

Botanical Painting

Cost: $65 per day OR $120 for 2 days and $175 for 3 days
For information and to register, contact Jeanne Debons.

Botanical Painting at Lake Oswego, Portland
February 28, March 1-2, 2014
10 AM – 4 PM

Botanical Painting in Bend
April 26-27, 2014
10 AM – 4 PM

Botanical Painting in Bend
June 14-15, 2014
10 AM – 4 PM

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

Posted in botanical art, Education, Learning Opportunities |

Fine Art and Horticulture at Philadelphia Flower Show

January 28, 2014 by Tania Marien

This year the theme of the Philadelphia Flower Show is ARTiculture: Where Art Meets Horticulture. Event organizers promise to give the comfortable centuries-old union between art and horticulture a new twist when the show opens on Saturday, March 1, 2014.

Contributing to this refreshing look at art and horticulture are artists of the Philadelphia Society of Botanical Illustrators (PSBI). Society members will conduct demonstrations of botanical art techniques March 1-9, 2014 in the Grand Hall. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn from artists 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM daily.

Complementing members’ demonstrations will be an exhibition of nearly 50 botanical paintings. As the banner in the Society’s booth states, the exhibition of “Dynamic Botanics” created by members clearly demonstrates “The Art of Botany.” Featured subjects range from delicate hellebores to the monster cones of the sugar pine tree. Each subject is lovingly depicted, usually in watercolor but sometimes in colored pencil and oil. The paintings selected for this year’s flower show were selected by three judges — a biologist, an artist and a horticulturist.

The Philadelphia Society of Botanical Illustrators is comprised of more than 75 botanical artists from the Philadelphia area. Many of them teach other aspiring artists and teach in a joint art program with Arcadia University benefiting teenagers in Philadelphia public schools.

The Society has participated in outreach programs such as the Arcadia program for more than ten years. The Society pays instructors, purchases art supplies and gives art materials to young people who come from areas of the city where there is limited, if any, art instruction. The intent is to encourage students to learn the fundamentals of scientific and botanical illustration for possible careers and for their own enjoyment.

Learn more about the Philadelphia Society of Botanical Illustrators on their website at PSBI-art.org.

Posted in botanical art, Education, Learning Opportunities, Special Announcements, Special Events |

Field Sketching Workshop in New Zealand

January 28, 2014 by Tania Marien

See the new page for Classes Near You > New Zealand!

Rebecca Brown-Thompson
www.rbrown-designs.com
Rebecca Brown-Thompson is a botanical artist from Oregon and New Zealand who works with paper, paint, felt and beads.

Field Sketching and Drawing Workshop

Participants will learn introductory drawing techniques and will apply these techniques to field sketching. They will also learn how to accurately record what they see whether is it for journalling, a science study, or just for fun. This workshop at the Lake Hawea Community Centre at Lake Hawea, Central Otago in New Zealand.

For more information and to register, contact Rebecca
Brown-Thompson by March 1, 2014.

Visit Rebecca’s website to learn more about her and to view her online gallery, including sample pages of her book Rebellious Beads in which she demonstrates how to create natural history-themed beadwork.

Posted in Education, Learning Opportunities, Sketching & Journaling |

Field Journals in the Classroom

January 24, 2014 by Tania Marien

Last week’s column about Jeanne Baret’s dedication was popular with many people. I thought I would follow-up and share an idea about how to integrate the field work of Jeanne Baret and other explorers into the classroom by using the field journal lesson plans written by Devon Hamner. Hamner presents the framework for four 50-minute journaling sessions in How Does My Garden Grow? Writing in Science Field Journals.

Throughout these four sessions, students are prompted to write about their observations, pay attention to detail, ask questions and are expected to investigate topics with which they are unfamiliar. They are also expected to act like researchers and are required to discuss their work with their peers. Hamner’s approach to learning about plants is very flexible and does not require an established schoolyard garden. Her activity can be applied to windowsill gardens and to container gardens. She even has a plan teachers can use in the event there is a mass die-off of students’ seedlings.

Hamner explains how to implement each journaling session and addresses everything from how to introduce students to gardening topics, to how to how lead collaborative inquiry-based activities.

If you’re looking for a way to merge botany, history, and art using exploration as a theme, consider adding Hamner’s article to your toolkit. It is available for free online. Included are links to additional Web-based resources.

Also consider adding Paula Panich’s book about garden writing and Christian McEwen’s guide to nature writing to your teaching library.

Literature Cited
Hamner, Devon. How does my garden grow? Writing in science field journals. Retrieved from http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/does-garden-grow-writing-846.html

A New Way to Learn Botanical Art Online

January 21, 2014 by Tania Marien

Anna Mason’s Online School is LIVE!

Last week Anna Mason launched her online learning program. Since it launched, botanical art enthusiasts have been quick to sign-up for this new service.

Anna’s school is based on her tested step-by-step tutorials. Each tutorial comes with a reference photo and 4-6 videos that offer at least one hour of video instruction. New tutorials will be added every month. The next tutorial will be available on February 7, 2014.

Subscribers to this new service also have access to the Knowledge Base. The Knowledge Base features 18 videos in which Anna breaks down painting techniques and presents her practical approach to color mixing. Linked to these videos are sketchbook exercises subscribers can follow on those days when they only have 30 minutes to dedicate to painting.

This new learning opportunity costs £10 per month (convert currency). Payments are processed through PayPal. There is no minimum subscription term and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Sign-up today to take advantage of Anna’s special introductory offer. Receive 6 months of convenient online learning for £50 and receive one month free! After the six-month introduction, subscribers will be charged £10 per month.

Learn more about this program at www.watercolourswithwow.com.

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

Posted in botanical art, Education, Learning Opportunities, Special Announcements |

Botanical Painting Holiday in Norfolk, England

January 21, 2014 by Tania Marien

Elaine Searle
www.paintbotanical.com
Elaine is a respected botanical artist with work included in The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, The Highrove Florilegium and many private collections. She teaches groups, and individuals in the UK, Europe and USA as well as offering a distance learning program. One of Elaine’s most popular courses is an annual painting holiday to Umbria, Italy and for 2014 she is also offering a one-week holiday course in her home county of Norfolk.
Learn More About Elaine

Botanical Painting Holiday

Visit Norfolk, one of England’s most unspoiled regions. It is famed for its big skies and natural beauty. Only 12 places are available on this very special painting holiday. The focus will be painting orchard fruits such as plums. Two half-day excursions are included in the price, as are all lunches and a welcome dinner. Elaine can help you book local accommodation to suit your budget ranging from comfy B&B’s to boutique hotels.

View Details/Register

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

Posted in botanical art, Education, Learning Opportunities, Special Announcements, Special Events, travel |

5th Annual ‘Plants Illustrated’ Exhibition at UC Berkeley

January 21, 2014 by Tania Marien

The Fifth Annual Plants Illustrated exhibition opened this weekend at the
UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley. This exhibition features many styles of botanical art by members of the Northern California Society of Botanical Artists.
This exhibition can be viewed 10 AM – 4 PM daily through February 7, 2014.
The exhibition is free with garden admission.

The garden offers many opportunities to learn about botanical art. Here is information about upcoming classes and a special lecture about Pierre-Joseph Redouté:

Botanical Artist to the Court of France

Introduction to Botanical Art with Catherine Watters
Friday, February 28, 2014; 10 AM – 4 PM
Learn how to observe plants and how to turn your observations into a detailed drawing. Students will work in graphite, colored pencil and watercolor. All levels of experience are invited to participate. $90/$80 members. Register

Roses – May 8, 2014; 10 AM – 4 PM; $90/$80 members

Summer Flowers – August 21, 2014; 10 AM – 4 PM; $90/$80 members

Fall Fruit – October 9, 2014; 10 AM – 4 PM; $90/$80 members

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