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 […]
Galls and Baubles
August 25, 2014 by · 8 Comments
The galls hung down like baubles on the branches of a Garry Oak tree that I encountered on my walk. I had never seen so many on one tree before, and was entranced by all of the colors, from greenish yellow to beige to burgundy/brown, and sizes from quite small up to one inch (2.5 […]
Meeting Friends in the Forest–Old and New
August 9, 2014 by · 6 Comments
I recently spent a weekend hiking and sketching in eastern Oregon with a group from Oregon Botanical Artists. The weekend was generously hosted by two eastern Oregon botanical artists so we could get to know one another better. We spent the first day sketching at an area called the Metolius Preserve, where an effort is […]
Wild Ginger
May 29, 2014 by · 4 Comments
“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” Pablo Picasso When I read this quote, it resonated with me regarding my journey in botanical art. Each new project feels like it borders on the impossible because it is yet untried. There is risk involved. […]
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).