“Fight for a just cause, love your fellow man, live a good life”–this is not only the motto of Filoli but where it got its name, taken from the first letters of this oft repeated saying of its founder, WB Bourn II. I think it is pretty good advice. I thought I would give you […]
Filoli Exhibition 2015
March 24, 2015 by · 12 Comments
I was excited to get the good news recently that two of my paintings were accepted into the annual Filoli Botanical Art Exhibition. For those of you unfamiliar with it, Filoli is a historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is located 30 miles south of San Francisco. It is a country […]
Some More Little Things I’ve Learned
March 19, 2015 by · 4 Comments
Here are some more little things I’ve learned over the past year. Since graduating from SBA two years ago, most of my work has been on vellum, but I rediscovered the pleasure of watercolor washes on paper while working on a commission this autumn. For those unfamiliar with vellum, it is a type of parchment […]
Native Plants as Food and Medicine
December 13, 2014 by · 2 Comments
I have long been fascinated by the historic uses of plants, particularly the native plants of the region where I live in the Pacific Northwest. In fact, most of the native plants I have illustrated so far were used by native peoples as food or medicine. I feel I know these plants well by the […]
A Portrait of Asarum
November 30, 2014 by · 13 Comments
What are the essential things to know about Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum), and how to present them in a simple yet artful way? That was what I asked myself when planning this plant portrait. I edited my initial drawings until they were stripped of anything I thought extraneous. First, it’s a low, ground cover that […]
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).