In September, I attended my first American Society of Botanical Artists conference, which was held in Pittsburgh. It was a remarkable experience, seeing so much beautiful botanical art at the Hunt Institute and meeting many like-minded people. One of my favorite events was portfolio sharing which was held on the first day. Artists from all […]
Siberian Iris Pods
September 5, 2013 by · 5 Comments
I spent another relaxing morning at Jane’s house sketching and painting with other botanical artists on her deck. These pods caught my eye as we strolled around her garden looking for possible subjects before we sat down to “work”. I accidentally knocked them over and out fell the little seeds, so I included them in […]
Acorn Sighting!
August 16, 2013 by · 6 Comments
Quercus garryana Quercus garryana canopy Often on my walks I stop to search through the low branches of this native Garry oak tree that over-hang the footpath, hoping to find some evidence of developing acorns. I was excited to note tiny caps peeking out about a month ago. Last autumn I searched the branches of […]
Longleaf Mahonia, SBA Sketchbook
May 26, 2011 by · 3 Comments
I am doing some graphite values studies in preparation for my next SBA assignment, which is a selection of leaves in watercolor. Longleaf Mahonia, Mahonia nervosa, is a low ground cover common in the forest under Douglas Firs. The evergreen leaves turn bright red in winter. Evergreen Huckleberry, Vaccineum ovatum, is a shrub that has […]
Trillium ovatum, SBA Assignment 2
April 18, 2011 by · 10 Comments
The crisp white blossoms of Trillium seem to promise brighter days to come as they bloom under the dark canopy of Douglas Firs in the forest. Our spring weather here in the Pacific Northwest is usually overcast, and the white blossoms seem to sparkle on the dark forest floor. This is a graphite drawing I […]
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).