Slideshow Artwork
Members
Louise Chenier
Dawn Dougall
Susan Filshie
Gail Finlayson
Jackie Gallagher
Yvonne Gaudet
Anita Granger
Susan Greenbloom
Cherin Harris-Tuck
Jannis Hare
Lyndel Hill
Ann Honke
Jessica Hsiung
Maeve Hughes
Judith Jamieson
Stephanie Keeley-Bunting
Leslie Kirton
Diane Kowal
Bert Liverance
Deirdre Mackintosh
Elizabeth Malicki
Ev Marron
Cecilia Martin
Christine McDonald
Brenda Mitchell
Nighat Mohsin
Marguerite Nault-Kubera
Pamela Padwick
Rita-Anne Piquet
Nellie Sue Potter
Linda Read
Suzanne Sanders
Janet Shearn
Claire Sinclair
Myra Sourkes
Michael Spillane
Pamela Stagg
Judie Thompson
Barbara Van Blomestein
Patricia Williams
Suzanne Whistance-Smith
Mary Rose Woodbridge
Joan Wright
The Toronto Botanical Garden, located at 777 Lawrence Avenue East, is offering several winter and spring courses for the botanically inspired.
Botanical Art Studio with Leslie Staple
Winter: Thursdays, January 15 to March 19, 2015 - 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Spring: Thursdays, April 9 to June 11, 2015 - 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
You can take a full session (10 classes) or a half session (five classes).
Work at your own pace. All levels welcome. Bring watercolour materials and an inspirational subject.
See TBG website:
http://torontobotanicalgarden.ca/learn/adult/art/
Lecture - Plant Stories from the Gardiner: Botanical Imagery in Clay
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Join Kelvin Browne, Executive Director and CEO of the Gardiner, to explore the botanical aspects of the Gardiner’s ceramics collection.
See TBG website:
http://torontobotanicalgarden.ca/learn/adult/tbg-lectures1/
Digital Botanical Art Prints
Sunday, April 26, 2015 - Noon to 5 p.m.
In this photography course you will take shots of a botanical specimen, transform them into digital botanical sketch images and print them.
See TBG website:
http://torontobotanicalgarden.ca/learn/adult/photography-new/
We are a small group of artists who like to meet and enjoy working together on our own art projects. We meet on the third Wednesday of the month in a condo party room from 10 am to 3 pm. The penthouse space and lighting is comfortable and underground guest parking is free. Our club is non profit and charges $15 per session to cover rental of the room. We bring our lunch and hot drinks are complimentary.
2015 Schedule
Wednesday January 21st 2015
Wednesday February 18th 2015
Wednesday March 18th 2015
Wednesday April 15th 2015
Wednesday May 20th 2015
Wednesday June 17th 2015
Location: North Toronto at 2727 Yonge Street, south of Lawrence.
You are invited to come and join us. Please RSVP if you would like to attend or for further information.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 416 443 8098
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 416 488 3381
This workshop is ideal for the botanical artist looking for something a little different. A step-by-step floral project will be the focus of the two-day workshop with demonstrations, one-on-one interaction and detailed instructional handouts. Studies will lead up to the completion of a tonal drawing in graphite, followed by exercises designed to explore the intricate textures used in pen and ink drawings. The project will then be completed in pen and ink with subtle watercolour washes.
Instructor: Michael Spillane
Location:
Guelph School of Art
125 Wyndham St. N
Guelph, ON
Date: March 8 & 15 (Sundays), 2015
Length: 2 days
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with 1 hour for lunch
Cost: $145:00To register contact either:
- Laura Paghal, Director at 519-767-1317 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Michael Spillane at 905-891-8422 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Link to Workshop on Michael's Blog:
http://spillanestudiooffinearts.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/london-ontario-workshop-the-brush-palette-club-november-2014/
Main Websites:
Redesigned Website
BAC members might like to explore the Hunt Institute's recently redesigned website huntbotanical.org, which contains a wealth of information on botanical documentation and illustration. The November 2014 issue of their bulletin, with an article on their current exhibition Dangerous Beauty, is available online www.huntbotanical.org/admin/uploads/hibd-bulletin-26-2.pdf along with previous archived bulletins going back to 1979.
Call for Entries for the 15th International Exhibition – Fall 2016
This exhibition is open to all botanical fine artists and illustrators whose work has achieved a standard of excellence and who have not yet been represented in the Hunt Institute’s series of International Exhibitions.
Deadlines:
- Complete and send a 15th International Intent to Submit Form via email or post by 30 January 2015.
- Complete and send the 15th International Submission Form via email or post by 19 June 2015.
For further information refer to http://huntbotanical.org/exhibitions/international/
The Royal Canadian Mint has recently issued new platinum, silver and gold coins featuring designs by BAC award winning artist, Lilyane Coulombe. Lilyane's original designs of silver maple leaves, Acer saccharinum – Acer, are engraved on the platinum and gold coins and a stunning sugar maple leaf, Acer saccharum, appears on the silver coins. You can view the coins on the the Mint's website. See links below:
Platinum Coin:
http://www.mint.ca/store/coin/1-oz.-pure-platinum-coin-maple-leaf-forever-mintage-250-2014-prod2000018
Gold Coins:
http://www.mint.ca/store/coins/pure-gold-fractional-set-maple-leaf-mintage-600-2015-prod2210021
Silver Coins:
http://www.mint.ca/store/coins/fine-silver-incuse-fractional-set-maple-leaf-mintage-9999-2015-prod2210022#reviews
You are invited to the end of year "Paint and Party" lunch at the Coloured Pencil and Watercolour Club on Wednesday, November 19th. Please bring a potluck festive or favourite dish so we can share and socialize. We supply the cutlery, linen, dishes, tea and coffee. We hope to have a good turnout at the usual location. Please RSVP if you're planning to attend.
Date & Time: November 19, 10 AM to 3 PM
Location:
In the party room (PH floor by elevator) at 2727 Yonge St, Toronto. Underground guest parking is available on the north side of the building.
To RSVP or request further information contact:
Mary Rose @ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 416-443-8098
Luisa @ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 416-488-3381
Students of Nellie Sue Potter, including several BAC members, are currently exhibiting their work at Swansea Town Hall. Forty-two works are on display, including a few by Nellie Sue. Come and enjoy beautiful botanical art in a variety of media: graphite, coloured pencil, watercolour and mixed media. You might even want to take a piece home as some works are for sale. Three have already sold!
Dates: October 25 - December 5, 2014
Meet the Artists Reception: December 5, 6:00-7:30 PM.
Location:
Swansea Town Hall
95 Lavinia Ave
Toronto, ON M6S 3H9
Website: www.swanseatownhall.ca.
For more information, please contact Nellie Sue:
Phone: 416-797-5968
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This two day workshop is ideal for those wishing to learn skills relating to botanical drawing and painting. Students will be given step-by-step instructions on how to progress through two botanical drawing and painting projects. The drawing and development process when choosing botanical subjects will be discussed, along with exercises on gesture, contour drawing and blending techniques with graphite. Emphasis on the painting side will be placed on establishing an accurate botanical painting through study of colour mixing and matching, monochromatic undertone painting, glazing and value contrast. This workshop is best suited to students with some drawing and painting experience and an interest in botanical art.
Location:
Guelph School of Art
125 Wyndham St. N
Guelph, ON
Date: Sundays – November 30 & Dec 7, 2014
Length: 2 days
Hours: 10:00 am to 4:30 pm with 1 hour for lunch
Cost: $145.00
To register contact:
Laura Paghal, Director 519-767-1317
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: http://www.wyndhamartsupplies.com/
Or contact: Michael Spillane 905-891-8422
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: http://www.spillane-arts.com
Artist Margaret Walsh Best is holding the following fall workshops in St. John's Newfoundland.
Rosehips as Botanical Art
Rosehips will be the subject of this one-day workshop in contemporary botanical art.
Date and Time:Friday, November 7, 2014 (10:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Location: St. John's, NL @ MUN Botanical Garden
Medium: Watercolour
Level: Beyond Basics to Advanced
Cost: $85 + HST
Tools & Techniques of Watercolour
Enjoy a day of experimenting with the tools of watercolour as you create a series of mini paintings, each designed to illustrate a different technique.
Date and Time: Saturday, November 8th, 2014 (10:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Location: St. John's, NL @ MUN Botanical Garden
Medium: Watercolour
Level: Introductory and Beyond Basics
Cost: $85 + HST
Open Studio
The Open Studio is for those of you who are working on your own painting projects and would like guidance and advice on colour theory, composition, technique or problem solving as you continue.
Date and Time: Friday, November 21 (10:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Location: Arts & Culture Centre, St. John's, NL
Cost: $50 + HST
For full workshop descriptions and registration details, check Margaret's website:www.margaretwalshbest.com under Classes or Workshops.
by Celia Godkin
Botanical artists usually prefer to work from live specimens, but sometimes this isn't possible, and we must turn to photographic reference instead. As a children's book illustrator, I have to rely on extensive reference material from a variety of sources including photographs.
In my most recent book, Skydiver, there's an oil painting of corn plants on a page that describes the spraying of farm crops with DDT. This was the pesticide that caused severe declines in peregrine falcons, the subject of the book.
The image was based on a couple of reference photos I took at the edge of a field of corn. Knowing that the image would have to be a low view, looking upward towards an air-borne peregrine, I deliberately angled the camera upwards so that there would be lots of sky in the photos.
Here are my reference photos:
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And here is a detail of the resulting illustration:
Note that I haven't slavishly copied the photographs. To do so would mean that all the cast shadow and transparency that confuses the interpretation of form would have been included. Instead, I use the photographic reference as the point of departure, simplifying and eliminating confusing shadows to explain the form without violating the integrity of the plant structure.
Far from being a distortion, I view this departure from photographic realism as an integral part of the "scientific accuracy" component of botanical art. I seek to explain and clarify plant structures in the same way that science attempts to elucidate nature.
I hope this example clarifies one of the important differences between botanical art and floral fine art. Art imitates nature, science seeks to explain it and botanical art hopes to achieve both of these goals.
Book details:
Skydiver: Saving the Fastest Bird in the World by Celia Godkin; Pajama Press, 2014, is the inspiring story of how the peregrine falcon was saved from the brink of disaster. ISBN 978-1-927485-61-3 (bound) $19.95. See further information at www.pajamapress.ca
All forms of art can be improved with strong drawing skills and there are many tips and tricks you can learn. These include techniques to improve everything from line drawing to shading and composition, as well as tips for drawing fur, feathers, grasses, leaves etc.
At the Coloured Pencil and Watercolour Club (CP&WC) on Wednesday, October 15th, Liz Tudor is offering to give us free tips and tricks in drawing and an opportunity for questions and answers. Liz recommends bringing a sketch book, graphite pencils (2H, HB, 2B, 4B), an eraser and a sharpener. (Some drawing supplies will be on hand for you to try out.)
"I would never presume to think I could give much to such a talented group, but if I can provide any help in regard to graphite drawing, I would love to have you join us!" - Liz.
You are invited to the Coloured Pencil and Watercolour Club:
Date: Wednesday, October 15th from 10am to 3pm
Location:
2727 Yonge St
Toronto Party room (PH floor by elevator.)
Underground guest parking is available on the north side of the building.
Note: The regular $15.00 per session applies.
To RSVP or request further information contact:
Mary Rose @ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 416-443-8098 or
Luisa @ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 416-488-3381
This one-day workshop will introduce students to this versatile medium and show how to produce stunning effects equal to that of watercolour painting. Easy to use and convenient to store and replace, coloured pencils can be used alone or combined with graphite. Techniques such as burnishing and layering, along with accurate colour matching, tonal rendering and composition will help students to master this rewarding medium. A step-by-step botanical project will be the focus of the workshop.
Location:
London Brush & Palette Club
St. Aiden's Church
Oxford Street West
London, ON
Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Length: 1 day
Hours: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm with 1 hour for lunch
Cost: $35.00
To register, contact:
- London Brush & Palette Club - brushandpaletteclub.com: Ron Mabee or Bob Sivak
- Or, Michael Spillane at 905-891-8422 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Michael's Website: www.spillane-arts.com
Southern Ontario Nature and Science Illustrators Exhibition
Dates: September 23- Oct 18, 2014
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 – 11:30 AM & 12:00 – 4:00 PM
Meet the Artists Reception: Saturday, October 18, 2014, 2:00 - 3:45 PM
Location:
The Lindsay Gallery
190 Kent Street West
Lindsay, ON K9V 3Y6
Website: www.sonsi.ca
Botanical Art at Swansea Town Hall
This exhibition will feature artwork by students of Nellie Sue Potter.
Dates: October 25- December 5, 2014
Meet the Artists Reception: Friday, December 5, 2014, 6:00-7:30 PM
Location:
Swansea Town Hall
95 Lavinia Ave
Toronto, ON M6S 3H9
Website: www.swanseatownhall.ca
Autumn Sketchbook – High Park Nature Centre
Look closely at the autumn forest to create richly colourful and intricate sketchbook pages. With the skilled instruction of botanical artist Nellie Sue Potter and the colourful medium of your choice (colour pencils, pastels, watercolours etc.), you will learn how to sketch various fall subjects. Fresh and intriguing specimens will be gathered along High Park trails including autumn leaves, mosses, lichens, and more. The High Park Nature Centre is a quiet oasis on the edge of the most pristine corner of the Park. It's a naturally perfect locale to indulge in a week of learning. *This course is suitable for all levels and will include time indoors (Thursday & Tuesday) and outdoors (Sunday).
You will learn: How to get started keeping a sketchbook; how to set up a sketchbook page; what details to look for and which ones to include; how to compose on the page; how to apply and layer colour; and how to achieve natural textures.
Dates & Times:
Thursday, October 16: 6 PM – 9 PM – Indoors
Sunday, October 19: 1 PM – 4 PM - Mostly outdoors
Tuesday, October 21: 6 PM – 9 PM - Indoors
Workshop Fee: $150 / 3 sessions
Please contact the Nature Centre at 416-392-1748 x2 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions about this event.
To register: Go to www.highparknaturecentre.com and click on "Programs: for Adults" to register and "Contact: Location" for a map.
Colour and Form in the Fall Harvest – Swansea Town Hall
Autumn brings beautiful forms to render: apples, pears, pumpkins, sunflowers and all the bounty that grew and ripened during the summer months. In this course, Nellie Sue will guide you in using tonal value to describe the forms, from round to ribbed to spiraling. She will also help you in creating the rich colours of autumn, from the deep greens to the warm yellows, oranges and reds.
Dates & Times: Wednesdays, October 22 - November 26, 2014, noon until 3:00 PM
Fee for 6 weeks: $279.11
To register for Swansea Town Hall courses: Please send a cheque for $279.11 to: Nellie Sue Potter, 2775 Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M6P 1Y4.
Swansea Town Hall is located north of the Gardiner Expressway and south of Bloor Street, and offers free parking and easy TTC access. For maps and directions, go to www.swanseatownhall.ca
There are several exhibitions being held this fall by the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) and the Hunt Institute that may be of interest to BAC members. For more details, follow the links to their respective websites.
ASBA
Following in Bartram's Footsteps runs August 30th through November 2nd at the North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The ASBA's 17th Annual International includes 42 art works from around the world, including Canada. It opens with a reception on the evening of September 17th at The Horticultural Society of New York. Weird, Wild, and Wonderful is currently on display at the New York Botanical Garden through September 21st.
Website: http://www.asba-art.org
The Hunt Institute
Dangerous Beauty: Thorns, Spines and Prickles runs September 18th to December 18th 2014
Location: 5th floor of the Hunt Library building at Carnegie Mellon University, 4909 Frew Street Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Recent Posts
- 2015 Winter & Spring Courses at Toronto Botanical Garden
- Coloured Pencil and Watercolour Club Schedule for 2015
- Botanical Drawing with Pen & Ink and Watercolour Washes - Michael Spillane
- News from the Hunt Institute for Botanical Illustration
- Lilyane Coulombe - Botanical Designs for the Royal Canadian Mint
- CP&WC “Paint and Party” Lunch – Nov 19
- Swansea Town Hall Art Show and Sale - Oct 25 – Dec 5
- Botanical Drawing & Painting Workshop - Michael Spillane
- November Workshops - Margaret Walsh Best
- Using Photo Reference in Botanical Art
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