Monday, March 28, 2016


Juliet Kirby to Exhibit at the RTD Gallery
by Judith Towers



     Works by Juliet Kirby, Botanical Illustration Advanced Watercolor instructor at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will be featured at the Richmond Times-Dispatch Gallery, 300 E. Franklin Street, Richmond, VA, 23219, beginning with the show opening Friday, April 1, 6:30-8:00 as part of RVA First Fridays Art Walk, and 9-5, Monday through Friday until April 29, 2016

     If you missed the colorful article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Sunday, March 27, follow these links to see some of Juliet’s work and read about her early experiences in art school in England, her studies at the New York Botanical Garden, and classes that she has taught in Williamsburg, at the Peninsula Fine Arts Center, and here in Richmond: 


     Don’t forget to check the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden website where the new spring/summer schedule of art classes soon will be posted!  At http://www.lewisginter.org/

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Member Happenings!

By Judy Thomas
[ Note: Please let me know if you would like me to post any botanically-related news about you on the blog!]

Our very own Winnifred, drawing a plumeria branch that she found on the ground in HI!


Having fun there, eh Winnifred?

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

What Fun!

Skills and Techniques Showcase
by Judy Thomas

As part of our "teaching/learning" model, we held our first "Skills and Techniques Showcase," with thanks to MinhChau Truong, Angel Zhao and Gail Goodrich Harwood!

Angel and MinhChau teaching

Angel began the first session by discussing the traditions, methods and materials of Chinese calligraphy (photo above).  She described the process to make the character for the word "flower" and members tried their hand at it, first on simple newsprint, then on xuan paper.  Angel gave the members handouts for other Chinese characters that we can try on our own.

Members practicing Chinese calligraphy

MinhChau demonstrated the various ways to paint orchids with black ink, in many different spatial orientations and stages of development, using black ink and Chinese brushes.  She made this difficult task look easy, and also demonstrated how to create different shades with ink and water.

MinhChau demonstrating painting orchids

The "Four Treasures of the Study" of Chinese brush painting and calligraphy.
Angel and MinhChau shared papers, tools and displayed traditional tools and materials.

In the second showcase, Gail showed members how to paint and draw (with colored pencil) water or dew drops.  Gail learned this method at an ASBA workshop.  She provided prepared papers, showed how to lift dry watercolor off the paper to create the water drop reflection, and how to use several colored pencils to draw the drops.

Thanks to these member/teachers, our first showcase was a success!