Classes listed on ArtPlantae Today are for the benefit of members of our creative community. Their inclusion is not an endorsement by ArtPlantae LLC. As with anything, please investigate your choices thoroughly. Then get outside and be inspired!
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List your botanical art workshops, botany classes, book arts classes, botanical art excursions, or sketchbook adventures here for free.
Send workshop information to education@artplantae.com.
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Nina Antze
Drawing Nature in Colored Pencil
www.pcquilt.com/botanicals.htm
Nina received a degree in Fine Art from San Francisco State University and a Certificate in Botanical Illustration from the botanical art program at the New York Botanical Garden. For more information about the classes below, contact Nina Antze or call (707) 237-7014. Nina’s teaching schedule can also be viewed on her website.
- Nature Drawing Classes – Four Tuesdays, ongoing. 9AM – 12 PM. Learn to capture the forms and colors of nature at Sebastopol Center for the Arts in Sebastopol, CA. Cost: $89. Contact: (707) 237-7014
California State University, Monterey Bay
www.scienceillustration.org
The scientific illustration program at CSU Monterey Bay is a graduate-level program and is highly respected across the country. This program was formerly taught at UC Santa Cruz. Admission is by application and only 15 students are accepted each year. This program offers summer classes that are open to the public. Visit their website to learn more about this program, to view the current schedule, and to view examples of student work.
Filoli House and Garden, Woodside
www.filoli.org
Located in Woodside, CA, the only certificate program in botanical art and illustration in California is comprised of 2 – 5 day classes taught by exceptional award-winning instructors. View the course schedule for 2012 here.
Gardens at Heather Farm, Walnut Creek
www.gardenshf.org
The Gardens at Heather Farm are comprised of twenty demonstration gardens. This six-acre garden is also an outdoor classroom. The garden offers many classes about plants, botany, botanical art and the environment. It also has its own florilegium. The florilegium project is managed by botanical artist, Catherine Watters. Visit the website to view the complete schedule of classes.
Koch Studios – Maryjo Koch Illustration, Santa Cruz
www.kochstudios.com
Maryjo Koch is the author and illustrator of many books. She teaches workshops in nature illustration at her studio near Santa Cruz and leads workshops throughout northern California and abroad. Her specialty is capturing nature using gouache and watercolor techniques. Visit
Koch Studios to view the complete schedule.
John Muir Laws
Naturalist, Illustrator, Author, & Educator
www.johnmuirlaws.com
John Muir Laws is the author of The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada. A graduate of the UC Santa Cruz scientific illustration program, Laws teaches workshops in field sketching and teaches students how to draw wildlife in addition to plants. See his current class schedule for details. Be sure to visit Laws’ website to learn more about how he brings environmental education and journaling to classrooms across California.
You might also be interested in a video in the Tutorials section. This video was created by a school teacher who documented what she learned while taking a class from John Muir Laws during Summer 2008. See the video titled, A Naturalist’s Journal.
Andie Thrams, Coloma, CA
Andie is a painter and book artist devoted to creative work in wild places. She teaches in California, Oregon and Hawaii. Her work is widely exhibited and honored, and is held in many private and public collections. View Andie’s 2012 IN FORESTS calendar at her Etsy store.
- Native Botanicals: Field Studies in Drawing & Design
June 2, 2012
Create studies of native plants in black and white using pencil, ink and gouache. Discover field-friendly ways to render positive/negative space; reveal gesture and detail; create strong compositions; and explore your own creativity. Participants will leave class with an understanding of the principles of design and a collection of beautiful studies for future reference. Location: Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden, Berkeley, California. Cost: $120 members, $130 non-members. Details/Register - Native Botanicals: Field Studies in Watercolor
June 3, 2012
Create summertime watercolor studies in the garden. Working with watercolor and gouache, participants will learn how to mix color accurately, create beautiful shimmering surfaces, and build layers using wet into wet, dry brush and glazing techniques. Participants will go home with a series of studies that conjure up the complexity of wild flora and inspire future painting in the field. Location: Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden, Berkeley, California. Cost: $120 members, $130 non-members. Details/Register - Watercolors in the Wild: Sierra Flora
July 29 – August 3, 2012
Create lively field studies of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. Discover field-friendly ways to use watercolor and gouache to mix accurate color; create shimmering surfaces; explore light and shadow; build layers using wet into wet, dry brush and glazing techniques; render gesture and detail; and reveal your own mark with ease. We’ll consider botanical imagery in past and contemporary art and take gentle daily forays into the wild to work with new techniques. Participants will go home with a collection of Sierra flora watercolors to use for future reference. Location: San Francisco State University Sierra Nevada Field Campus, Sattley, California. View Details/Register - The Artful Cookbook: Celebrating Food, Community & Story
Co-taught with Rebecca Welti
August 18-19, 2012
Bring cookbooks, treasured recipes, photographs, poems and other food-related memorabilia to use as inspiration. Participants will collage, paint, write and draw to create layers of embellished imagery within a series of projects on paper. Share meals and stories with fellow participants, sprinkle herbs and spices into your paintings and onto your food, savor flavors and ideas, while creating recipe-inspired art. Location: Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, Otis, Oregon. Cost: $215. Member registration begins February 27. Public registration begins March 12.
View 2012 Schedule/Register - Book Arts for Kids & Adults: Creative Fun & Exploration
Co-taught with Inga Dubay
August 20-21, 2012
Kids, teens, friends, siblings, parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles are all invited to celebrate the creative spirit through exploring the book arts. Families will discover easy and fun-to-make book structures. Participants will use ink, watercolor, sticks, feathers, reeds, pens, brushes and crayons to explore lighthearted and beautiful ways to make drawings, paintings and calligraphic writing. For all levels, ages 8 and up. Location: Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, Otis, Oregon. Cost: $120. Member registration begins February 27. Public registration begins March 12.
View 2012 Schedule/Register - Wild Forest Wild Art: Tree-Inspired Painting
August 23-26, 2012
Andie will demonstrate her ever-evolving field techniques for working in layers to capture light, color, gesture and detail, evoking what is seen and felt under the trees. Working indoors and out, through sequenced studies, participants will create images revealing their own responses to the unique complexity of wild forests. Participants will complete a series of forest-inspired mixed media drawings and paintings. Location: Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, Otis, Oregon. Cost: $415. Member registration begins February 27. Public registration begins March 12.
View 2012 Schedule/Register - Big Island Retreat: Wild Art & Wild Yoga in Hawaii!
Co-taught with Dennis Eagan
October 7-13, 2012
Island of Hawaii
Join Andie and her husband, Dennis, on the Big Island of Hawaii, and sink into that blissful place of wonder through the practices of art and yoga. Artists will explore art and yoga as pathways to deepening their connection to the energies of our planet: its plants, waters and creatures. Each day will offer art classes with Andie, yoga classes with Dennis, and open time for your own exploration; classes will be optional and open to all levels of experience. Art students will use field journals to record daily observations and experiences through drawing, writing and painting with watercolor. Subjects will include island color palette; sunrise, sunset and cloud painting; and tropical plant studies. Yoga classes will emphasize asana and pranayama for opening creative energies and for studying the five elements of yoga: earth, air, water, fire and space.
Location: Kalani Honua Resort
Details & Registration: Contact Andie Thrams - Field Studies: Autumn Leaves
November 7-8, 2012
During forays into Hoyt Arboretum, participants will collect leaves and inspiration for studio work. Learn how to paint the thousand ambers, crimsons and rusts of Fall while building layers of watercolor, gouache and colored pencil to capture glow and detail. Participants will create beautiful studies for future reference and inspiration. Host: Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, Otis, Oregon. Location: World Forestry Center, Portland, Oregon. Cost: $212. Member registration begins February 27. Public registration begins March 12. View 2012 Schedule/Register - Private Creativity Coaching & Artist Mentoring
In addition to the workshops listed here, Andie also works privately with a limited number of students. This year individual instruction is offered in two eight-week sessions only.
Session 1: March 15 – May 15
Session 2: September 15 – November 15
Details & Registration: Contact Andie Thrams
University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu
This 34-acre garden was established in 1890 and is now a non-profit research garden and museum. The botanical art classes below are taught by Lee McCaffree and Catherine Watters. View a detailed schedule and register on the Garden’s website.
- Sick Plant Clinic – First Saturday of Each Month, 9 AM – 12 PM. Free.
No reservations required. - Monthly Butterfly Walks – Fourth Tuesday of each month (March – October); 3 – 4 PM. Garden volunteer, docent, and caterpillar lady, Sally Levinson, will lead walks through the garden in search of butterflies. Space is limited. Children welcome. Free with admission.
- Garden Strollers – Second Wednesday of Each Month,
11 AM – 11:45 PM. A 45-minute tour of the garden for adults with young children (3 and under). Tour will end on the lawn for play and snacks (bring your own). Children must be in a stroller or carrier during the tour. FREE with garden admission. Meet in front of the Garden Ship. For more information, call (510) 642-7082 or email garden@berkeley.edu. - A Walk Through the Garden of Old Roses – Saturday, May 19, 2012; 10 AM – Noon. Discover the rose’s rich history and listen to ethnobotanical tales with horticulturist, Peter Klement. Cost: $15 nonmembers, $10 members.
- Makin’ Mead – Saturday, June 2, 2012; 2-4 PM. Turn honey into wine! Recipes, samples and a one-gallon jug of mead to ferment at home. Instructor: Robert MacKimmie of City Bees. Cost: $50 nonmembers, $45 members, $40 students
- Introduction to Urban Beekeeping – Sunday, June 10, 2012;
11 AM – 1 PM. Interested in keeping bees but don’t know where to start? Join local urban beekeeper Bryon Waibel of San Francisco’s Her Majesty’s Secret Beekeeper for an informative beekeeping basics workshop. In this introductory beekeeping course topics will include: bees and the law, basic bee biology, choosing and siting a hive, and maintaining a hive. Pre-registration required. Cost: $50 nonmembers, $45 members, $40 students. - Honey Tasting – Sunday, June 10, 2012; 1-2 PM. Join Bryon Waibel of San Francisco’s Her Majesty’s Secret Beekeeper for this informal honey-tasting session. Registration required. Cost: $8 nonmembers, $5 members.
- Naturally Dyed Eggs – Saturday, April 7, 1:00-2:30 PM. Children will discover the joy of natural plant-based dyes in this hands-on class. Registration required. Cost: $12 nonmembers, $8 members. Price includes 6 eggs.
- Fabulous Flowers: Walk & Workshop – Saturday, May 12, 2012; 10 AM – Noon. Children will learn about flowers, pollinators and make a one-of-a-kind flower-themed gift perfect for Mother’s Day! Registration recommended. Drop-ins welcome. Cost: $12 nonmembers, $8 members.
- Tree Tales – Sunday, June 17, 2012; 11:00-12:30 PM. Palm trees, Quercus, empress trees, redwoods, maples, monkey-puzzles and more! Children will explore the trees of the world at the Garden. Bring the family for this special tree-themed tour! This adventure will also include story-telling and a special take-home Father’s Day keepsake for dad. Registration recommended. Drop-ins welcome. Nonmember Price: $10, $5 kids. Member price: $7, kids free.
University of California, Davis
UC Davis Arboretum
http://arboretum.ucdavis.edu
Comprised of 100 acres of gardens, this arboretum is open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Check their calendar for botanical illustration classes.
Vorobik Botanical Art
www.vorobikbotanicalart.com
Linda Ann Vorobik, Ph.D. is a botanical illustrator and botanist who teaches at the Jepson Herbarium at UC Berkeley, conducts field research in the Siskiyou Mountains in Oregon. View samples of Linda’s work on her website.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Nina Antze
Drawing Nature in Colored Pencil
www.pcquilt.com/botanicals.htm
Nina received a degree in Fine Art from San Francisco State University and a Certificate in Botanical Illustration from the botanical art program at the New York Botanical Garden. For more information about the class below, contact Nina Antze or call (707) 237-7014. Nina’s teaching schedule can also be viewed on her website.
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Nature Drawing Classes – Learn to capture the forms and colors of nature at El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach, CA (2nd Saturday of the month). Contact: (562) 570-1745
Huntington Library, Art Collection and Botanical Gardens
http://huntington.org
Located in San Marino, CA, the Huntington Library, Art Collection and Botanical Gardens is a true gem. In addition to housing extensive collections of art and hosting scholars from all over the world, The Huntington is home to 120 acres of gardens. Host to many special events, lectures, and workshops, The Huntington inspires both plant lovers and botanical artists. To register, call (626) 405-2128.
Kathy Dunham Studios
www.kathydunham.com
Kathy is an award-winning artist and the author of Artist’s Projects You Can Paint: 10 Floral Watercolors published by International Artist Publishing. She leads workshops in drawing, watercolor, plein air painting, and sketching for both nature journals and travel journals. Kathy teaches weekly in the Palm Springs area and leads workshops throughout southern California, the desert Southwest, France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Stop by Kathy’s blog to learn more about this popular instructor.
- Sketching and Drawing – La Quinta Senior Center.
Information: 760-564-0096. Wednesdays (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM) - Creative Photography – La Quinta Senior Center.
Information: 760-564-0096. Wednesdays (1:00 PM – 2:30 PM)
Jane LaFazio, Plain Jane Studio
www.plainjanestudio.com
Jane is a mixed media artist and a member of the San Diego Sketchcrawl group. Jane teaches at conferences across the U.S. and leads classes in Italy and Greece too. In addition to the sketching classes, Jane teaches workshops in collage, mixed media, and quilting. A detailed class schedule can be viewed on her blog. Also see an interview with Jane and her Ask The Artist Q&A with readers.
- Sketching & Watercolor: Journal Style – Begins June 7, 2012. This six-week class is taught online via Joggles.com. View Details/Register
- Sketching & Watercolor in a Mixed Media Journal – July 9-10, 2012; 9 AM – 4 PM. Learn Jane’s quick and intuitive method to drawing and watercolor. Create designs based on your sketches and learn how to create backgrounds to enhance your journal entries. View Details/Register
- Tesoro del Corazon – April 21-28, 2013. Mixed media art retreat in Sante Fe, New Mexico. Interested? Let them know
- Red Thread Retreats – May 16-20, 2013. Mixed media retreat in Maryland. Contact info@ArtistSuccess.com to be placed on interest list.
- Lavender Sage Art Retreat with Pamela Underwood – June 10-14, 2013. Mixed media retreat in Taos, New Mexico. View Details/Register
Living Desert Botanical Gardens & Zoo, Palm Desert
www.livingdesert.org
Located in the Palm Desert/Indian Wells area of the Coachella Valley, this garden offers several courses in arts and crafts, scientific illustration, gardening, landscape design, and natural history through Living Desert University.
Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, Arcadia
www.arboretum.org
Courses in introductory botanical drawing, beginning and intermediate watercolor, colored pencil, sketching and Chinese brush painting are taught throughout the year. Go to the Events & Classes for more information. The Arboretum is located in Arcadia, CA. To register, contact Jill Berry or call (626) 821-4624.
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Using Colored Pencil in Botanical Art
Learn the colored pencil techniques used by botanical artists! All levels of experience are welcome. Students will receive a supply list. Pre-registration required. Registrants may bring a lunch or buy lunch at the Peacock Cafe. Both Tuesday and Saturday classes will be offered beginning in May. The Summer/Fall 2012 schedule is as follows:
Tuesdays, 2012
May 1, 8, 15, 22
June 5, 12, 19, 26
July 10, 17, 24, 31
August (No Classes)
Sept. 4, 11, 18, 25
Oct 2, 9, 16, 23
Nov (No Classes)
Dec 4, 11, 18 (Dec classes 10:00 AM – 3:15 PM)
These classes will focus on techniques, composition and color mixing. All levels of experience are welcome.
10 AM – 2 PM (includes lunch break)
$255/mo. Arboretum members per month
$275/mo. Non-members per month
Pre-registration required; please call (626) 821-4623
Saturdays, 2012
May 12
June 9
July 14
August 18
September 15
October 13
(No class in Nov.)
December 15
Each individual class will explore flowers, fruits, vegetables and related subjects. Participants will learn how to use colored pencils techniques to achieve beautiful, painterly results. You may register for one class at a time. A supply list will be provided upon registration; you can also bring your lunch or purchase it at the Peacock Café.
10 AM – 4 PM, includes a one-hour lunch break (5 hours of class)
$95 Arboretum members per Saturday
$115 Non-members per Saturday
Pre-registration required; please call (626) 821-4623
Cristina Baltayian is a botanical artist with a background in drawing (graphite, charcoal, pen & ink), two-dimensional design, watercolor and colored pencil. Her work has been shown at Filoli, the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Chapman University. She is a member of the Botanical Artists Guild of Southern California and the American Society of Botanical Artists.
You May Also Enjoy:
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Art Workshop – Mondays. This self-directed workshop (no instructor) provides a supportive, encouraging environment for those who wish to pursue their artistic endeavors in watercolor, graphite, pastels, etc. Both beginning and experienced artists are welcome. It is a wonderful opportunity to develop at your own speed in your own media while being in the company of those with like interests. Each session of eight meetings costs $35 for Arboretum members ($42 non-members). Upcoming sessions: December 5, 2011 – February 6, 2012; February 13—April 2, 2012; April 9—May 28, 2012; June 4—July 23, 2012. Artists meet in the Oak Room from 9:30 – 11:30 AM. To register, contact Jill Berry or
call (626) 821-4624.
Organic Fruit & Vegetable Gardening 2012
Each class session will focus on seasonal production and will cover a broad range of topics such as companion planting, the identification of plant diseases, the treatment and prevention of plant diseases, biodiversity, weeds, insects, farming, Slow Food, soil building, composting, remedies and recipes. This class will be taught by Jill Morganelli, instructor and the horticultural supervisor at the Arboretum. Cost per session: $25 members, $30 nonmembers. Register in advance or pay at the door. The meeting dates for this program are:
June 2 (Bamboo Room)
September 8 (Palm Room)
December 1 (Bamboo Room)
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont
www.rsabg.org
An 86-acre natural setting located near the Claremont Colleges, this botanical garden focuses on California native plants. They offer periodic classes on botanical art. Please check their schedule online.
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Santa Barbara
www.sbbg.org
This lovely botanic garden periodically offers classes in botanical art. Subscribe to their e-newsletter to receive information about upcoming events.
Helen Shafer Garcia, Vista
http://www.helenshafergarcia.com
A garden illustrator for San Diego Home and Garden Magazine for 7 years, Helen is an avid gardener who manages a ½-acre garden filled with succulents and perennials. Helen teaches at the San Diego Botanic Garden, at artist retreats, and at conferences. Visit Helen’s website to view the many ways you can combine plants and art using watercolor, pastels, and mixed media.
Brenda Swenson, Los Angeles
www.swensonsart.net
Brenda Swenson, WW, NWWS is the author of Keeping a Watercolor Sketchbook and Steps to Success in Watercolor. She is a very popular, award-winning artist who teaches across the U.S. and abroad. See Brenda’s new section about tips, techniques, and tools for artists on her blog.
- Watercolor Sketching Techniques – May 18-20, 2012. Montrose, CA.
Info: Brenda Swenson - Sketching in Southern France – June 23-July 7, 2012. Montfaucon Tours, Limoux, France. View details at www.montfaucontours.com.
Info: Brenda Swenson - Negative Painting in Watercolor – August 10-12, 2012. Montrose, CA.
Info: Brenda Swenson - Negative Painting in Watercolor – September 14-16, 2012. Schroeder Studio Gallery, 112 East Maple Avenue, Orange, CA 92866. Contact Schroeder Studio for more information. (714) 633-0653
- Learning & Product EXPO – October 19-21, 2012. Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, CA.Registration begins August 1, 2012. www.learningproductexpo.com
- Negative Painting with Watercolor – November 6-9, 2012. Plantation Art Guild, Plantation, FL Info: Karen Brauerman.
www.plantationartguild.org
University of California, Riverside
www.extension.ucr.edu
The following courses are offered through UCR Extension.
- Botanical Illustration of Desert Flora
New date TBA. A field study course at the Desert Studies Center (Zzyzx), three hours north of Riverside near Baker, CA. Learn about desert flora while learning techniques used by botanical illustrators. Students will work in the field using pencil, pen and watercolor. Course fee includes two nights lodging (dormitory style) and meals. Registrants will receive information about the Center and what they should bring with them. Visitors not permitted. Cost: $325 credit; $245 non-credit.
Info / Register
Virginia Robinson Gardens, Beverly Hills
www.robinsongardens.org
Botanical art classes with visiting instructors such as Anne-Marie Evans, Elaine Searle and Jenny Phillips are taught at the garden. Check back for information about upcoming workshops. Read about the Friends of Robinson Garden Botanical Art Group and the Robinson Garden Florilegium here.
