ArtPlantae Today

14th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration

July 17, 2013 by Tania Marien

Heath-leaved Banksia, Banksia ericifolia L.f. [Banksia ericifolia Linnaeus filius, Proteaceae], watercolor on paper by Julie Dagmar Nettleton (Australia), 2012, 38.5 x 57 cm, HI Art accession no. 8038, ©2012 Julie Dagmar Nettleton, All Rights Reserved.

14th International Exhibition of Botanical Art & Illustration
Hunt Institute for
Botanical Documentation
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
Sept. 27 – Dec. 19, 2013

Every three years the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation presents an exhibition of botanical art celebrating the work of contemporary botanical artists. This year forty-one artists from ten countries will take part in this international series that began in 1964 with the hope of supporting and encouraging contemporary artists worldwide. Participating in the 14th International Exhibition are:

Christine Battle, England; Phansakdi Chakkaphak, Thailand; Li-Jun Chen, China; Gaynor Dickeson, England; Ria van Elk-van Altena, Netherlands; Dianne Emery, Australia; Mayumi Ezure, Japan; Laura Fantini, United States; Lara Call Gastinger, United States; Ellen Gaube, United States; Janice Glimn-Lacy, United States; Cherie Ann Gossett, United States; Asuka Hishiki, Japan; Annie Hughes, Australia; Carolyn Jenkins, England; Barbara Klaas, United States; Esther Klahne, United States; David Kopitzke, United States; Joo-Young Lee, South Korea; Kyung-Min Lee, South Korea; Charlotte Linder, England; Roberta Mattioli, Italy; Carrie Megan, United States; Kayoko Miyazawa, Japan; Masako Mori, Japan; Julie Nettleton, Australia; Mary Anne O’Malley, United States; Tomoko Otomo, Japan; Beth Phillip, England; Lesley Randall, United States; Abigail Rorer, United States; Susan Rubin, United States; Gael Sellwood, England; Deborah B. Shaw, United States; Janet Snyman, South Africa; Min-Jeung Son, South Korea; Sun Yingbao, China; Charlotte Staub Thomas, United States; Denise Walser-Kolar, United States; Eric Wert, United States; and Margaret Wilson, United States.

A full-color, illustrated catalogue with biographical data, portraits of the artists and reproductions of the artworks will be available for purchase. Collectively, the 14 International catalogues include 1,129 artists and are the most comprehensive record available of contemporary botanical artists and illustrators. Most of the previous International catalogues are available for purchase at the Institute.

Visitor Information
The exhibition will be on display on the 5th floor of the Hunt Library building at Carnegie Mellon University and will be open to the public free of charge.

Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 AM – Noon and 1–5 PM; Sunday, 1–4 PM (except November 24 and November 28 – December 1, 2013). The library will also be open on Saturday September 28, 2013 (1-4 PM) during Carnegie Mellon University’s Céilidh Weekend festivities. Hours subject to change, please call or email before your visit to confirm the library will be open.

About the Hunt Institute
The Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, a research division of Carnegie Mellon University, specializes in the history of botany and all aspects of plant science and serves the international scientific community through research and documentation.

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

Kellie Cox-Brady Creates Coloring Book About Native Plants

July 17, 2013 by Tania Marien

Our conversation with artist, teacher and landscape designer Kellie Cox-Brady continues…

I understand you are creating a coloring book about native plants. When will this book be available? How many species will be featured?

Kellie: Yes! I am very excited about this project. I am working with a friend from college who is also a horticulturist, she is writing really fun descriptions of each plant and I am almost done with the illustrations. The coloring book should be available by November. There will be around 24 different plant species featured in the coloring book. My goal with the book is to educate kids on native plants while also bringing an artistic focus from each plant.

Learn more about Kellie

Posted in botanical art, botanical art books, Education, general botany, Learning Opportunities, Special Articles & Interviews, Special Events |

Creating Murals That Inspire and Teach

July 15, 2013 by Tania Marien

Kellie Cox-Brady, our special guest for July, is a teacher at heart and she has successfully blended horticulture, art and education. What does she want people to see, learn or experience when they view her work in a gallery or on a street corner?

Find out and join the conversation

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

AMERICA’S PARKS II Celebrates Parks of the Southwest

July 15, 2013 by Tania Marien

Download prospectus

AMERICA’S PARKS II is an exhibition competition open to all artists, the purpose of which is to recognize and promote excellence in original artworks depicting any park (national, state, provincial, county, city, or private) in Canada, Mexico and The United States.

Unlike the inaugural exhibition of America’s Parks Through the Beauty of Art, the primary theme of AMERICA’S PARKS II will be parks of the southwest, specifically parks of the Southwestern U.S. & Northwestern Mexico. Art depicting parks in other locations throughout North America (Canada, Mexico, The United States) will be eligible for the online exhibit of PARKS II and awards. However, the traveling exhibit will be comprised primarily if not entirely of art depicting parks in the Southwestern U.S. & Northwestern Mexico, including (in alphabetical order) Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah; and States in Northwestern Mexico, particularly, Sonora.

Also new for PARKS II will be the eligibility of sculpture.

AMERICA’S PARKS II will premiere in Bolivar, Missouri from March 16 – April 13, 2014 at the Ella Carothers Dunnegan Gallery of Art; it will also be displayed at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, AZ from September 13 – October 26, 2014. One or more additional venues may be added to the tour.

The following is a confirmed list of awards for PARKS II:

America’s Parks Sculpture Award
The Michael C. and Priscilla V. Baldwin Foundation Sonoran Desert Art Award
Susan Kathleen Black Foundation Floral Art Award
PleinAir™ Magazine Juror’s Choice Award
The Society of Animal Artists Wildlife Art Award
Wildlife Art Journal Juror’s Choice Award

Additional awards are possible pending funding.

Selections will be made by a professional jury consisting of: Pam Dean Cable, Executive Director, Susan Kathleen Black Foundation; M. Stephen Doherty, Editor, PleinAir™ Magazine; and Todd Wilkinson, Managing Editor, Wildlife Art Journal.

The early entry deadline, with reduced entry fees, is: August 31, 2013

The standard entry deadline is: October 15, 2013

Download a Prospectus (Entry Form)

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

Photosynthesis Comic Book

July 12, 2013 by Tania Marien

UnderstandingPhotosynthesisMaxAxiom A graphic novel about photosynthesis?

You bet.

And a good one too, thanks to the thorough explanation by super-intelligent Max Axiom Super Scientist and the illustrations by Richard Dominguez and Charles Barnett III.

In Understanding Photosynthesis with Max Axiom, Super Scientist by Liam O’Donnell, Max Axiom introduces young botanists to the word photosynthesis, explains how molecules are mixed and formed in the chloroplasts of plant cells, explains the role photosynthesis plays in the water cycle, and explains why plants cannot keep the air clean and the Earth healthy all by themselves. Max Axiom accomplishes all this in a conversational tone and without smothering readers with technical terms.

Includes a glossary, a list of recommended books and information about related Internet sites.

Target Age Group: 8-14
Reading Level: 3-4

Related
Plants & Comic Books

Posted in book review, botany, Teaching & Learning | 1 Comment »

Balancing Work & Creativity

July 12, 2013 by Tania Marien

Kellie Cox-Brady’s professional life is divided between science illustration, freelance illustration and landscape design. How does she manage all this and stay inspired to create?

Kellie: Fun question, as I have been asking myself this for the last few months! Over the last two years I’ve been working full-time as a landscape designer for a company in Ithaca, and on my free time creating my artwork and scientific illustrations. I have found in the last few months that I can no longer juggle everything into one day. As of two weeks ago, I am now working full-time as an artist – creating murals, scientific illustrations and other freelance work. I am also freelancing as a landscape designer for a few small projects, but working on my own. It is a bit scary to make that leap working as a full-time artist, but I seem to keep myself busy with projects. As for inspiration, I constantly need to create art work and illustrations; I usually have three or four projects going on at once. Ithaca is truly a beautiful place, so much inspiration including waterfalls, gorges, beautiful botanical gardens and more. I enjoy working in the garden and going on hikes, which can be also inspiring for my art! Another inspiration is working with local artists on joined projects.

Readers, how do you balance work and creativity?

Posted in botanical art, Education, Learning Opportunities, Special Articles & Interviews, Special Events |

Kellie Cox-Brady Paints Murals for Her Community

July 10, 2013 by Tania Marien

You have completed many community projects. When I saw the utility box you painted, I immediately thought of the app Foldify. Fortunately the app immediately shows you how your marks will be placed on the finished 3-D object you are creating. If you don’t like it, you simply delete it. Painting scenes on large three-dimensional objects in real life isn’t this easy. How did you think through the placement of elements on your utility box when you created your design?

What a fun app! I’ve never heard of this before, thanks for sharing. For painting on 3-D objects, I try to make the overall composition interesting and having the viewer want to see more, so for example…