I find that more often than not, I learn the most when I am under duress…or at least under pressure of some sort. That happened recently with a commission I got for seven illustrations of wildflowers to be finished in just over 2 weeks, the rough drawings to be submitted in one week. Overall the […]
Palmengarten Exhibition
October 25, 2014 by · 5 Comments
I am grateful to the Society of Botanical Artists for the opportunity to exhibit my work along with other members and associate members at the lovely Palmengarten Botanical Garden in Frankfurt Germany. The theme of the exhibit is Medicinal and Poisonous Plants. The exhibit opens the 24th of October and extends through the 23rd of […]
Ants & Elaiosomes
October 18, 2014 by · 4 Comments
Dropping crumbs onto the ant trail became our entertainment during picnics last summer, my granddaughter and I. We were entranced by the suspense of seeing whether the ant would be able to lift the massive (in ant terms) crumb by itself or would it go recruit helpers? How would the ant team deal with getting […]
Second Chances
October 4, 2014 by · 5 Comments
I think of botanical art as a kind of collaboration between the artist and nature, at least that’s how it feels to me. But believe me, it is nature that calls the shots…like the time a slug ate the last remaining blossom on a plant that I was going to paint the next day to […]
Grades of Graphite
September 6, 2014 by · 10 Comments
Using only one grade of pencil in a drawing is akin to using only one color when painting. You can create a beautiful piece with one grade but it is easier to get results, and more fun besides, with a spectrum of grades. I stick to one grade for sketching, but for a botanical study…when […]
This blog is about my journey as a botanical artist--what I am learning, what inspires me and what I am currently drawing or painting. My desire is to continually hone my skills to better express my wonder and gratitude for the beauty of the creation around me in the Pacific Northwest (USA).