After preparing my piece of Kelmscott vellum, the next step is to transfer my completed drawing to the vellum. When I was starting out on vellum, I learned much from other artists who shared their techniques. Here are some articles and posts that I’ve found particularly helpful:Kate Nessler’s article from the ASBA journal, The Botanical […]
Getting Started on Vellum
July 9, 2015 by · 2 Comments
“What is vellum anyway?” is a question I hear frequently when showing my paintings, since most of them are on Kelmscott vellum. I thought I would briefly answer that question, and then give some basics on preparing it for painting as a way of introducing you to this material. So what is vellum? Vellum, also […]
The Weaving of Plants and People
May 29, 2015 by · 8 Comments
I am fascinated by connections…the many ways people connect with one another, the complex interdependency found in nature and the threads of history that makes themselves felt through time. I’ve been reading David Douglas: A Naturalist at Work by David Nisbet, which describes the travels, observations and collecting of that intrepid Scot, David Douglas. He […]
Coastal Adventure
May 4, 2015 by · 4 Comments
On a recent weekend, a member of Oregon Botanical Artists hosted several of us for a two-day “Coastal Botanical Adventure”. We visited four different ecosystems in two days, all within ten miles of our base. On the first morning we hiked through deep forest near Fort Clatsop in the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. […]
The Awkward Stage
April 24, 2015 by · 4 Comments
My paintings always seem to go through an awkward stage…sort of like adolescence. At this stage, things are not in balance yet, the painting’s full character has not yet been revealed. Will it fulfill the dreams I had for it or does the path I’ve set it on lead to disaster…? Only time will tell. […]
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).