Lucy Martin, Grandmother Madrone, Gouache and watercolor on paper
Perhaps nothing so deftly combines the two components of the Marin Art and Garden Center’s name as botanical illustration, bridging the worlds of art and gardening. The earliest civilizations depicted plant life in their artwork, but the modern art of botanical illustration really finds its roots in the Renaissance, where artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer brought scientific rigor to their work.
This autumn, The Studio will host the 26th Annual International Exhibition of the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA) for the third time since 2019. On alternate years, the show takes place in New York, at Wave Hill, a public garden in the Bronx. We are fortunate to be the West Coast location for this exhibition, which includes artwork in many different media, and from many different countries.
Mary Dillon, Go Lovely Rose – ‘Ville de Roeulx,’ watercolor on paper
The extraordinary precision and attention to detail that you can see in the works in the 26th Annual may seem daunting to an aspiring artist, but there is room for all experience levels in the world of botanical art. Two of the artists participating in the exhibition are offering instruction on their techniques, a technical demonstration of capturing highlights, and an outdoor workshop on quick sketching. You can also register for a virtual tour of an artist’s studio.
Claudia Campazzo, Summer Solstice Hazelnuts, graphite on paper
The Bay Area is also home to a a regional chapter of the ASBA, the Northern California Society of Botanical Artists. Their work on the Alcatraz Florilegium and the Mt. Tamalpais Florilegium has been on display in The Studio in the past, and this year, they are showcasing the work of their members in the Sketchbook Exchange Project.
Lynn Lyle, Sketchbook
Whether or not you are ready to try your own hand at this art form, you won’t want to miss the show. Join us for the opening reception on Sunday, September 17 from 4 to 6 pm, and visit The Studio on Fridays and Saturdays, 10 am to 4 pm, Sundays 12 to 4 pm, through November 26.
