Suellen's, Bird of Paradise, Strelitzia nicolai, is accepted into The South African Botanic Garden, Kirstenbosch, show titled "Contemporary Botanical Art", which highlights indigenous flora of South Africa.
Work by Carol Govan in the Elm Bank Visitors Center
NESBA member Carol Govan, a popular local
naturalist, botanical art historian, and teacher has devoted years to informing
the public about the work of many other artists, but this summer Mass Hort is
fortunate to be able to present an exhibition of her own artistic output. It will be easily accessible to all late
summer visitors to The Gardens at Elm Bank. The exhibit is in the visitor center at Elm Bank, the
building just beyond the parking lot. In
her statement below, Carol invites the public to understand the process of
producing art, but most of all, to enjoy
looking at it.
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Orange Canna |
Seeing Nature's Secrets- Carol Govan
I like to look at the natural world but have a hard time slowing down to see anything unless I draw and identify it. Drawing allows me to see details I didn't see at first glance. Struggling to find its name tells me new information that encourages me to go back and look again. My interests tend to combine art and science, both of which require concentrated observation.
I am a naturalist who teaches various science and art courses. One has students find a natural habitat in order to identify and draw all the plants (or anything else interesting) throughout the year. Another, focusing on plant relationships in situ and through a microscope to fit them into family groups. "The History of Botanical Art" marvels at old books filled with beautiful details and descriptions. "Drawing Botany" has students examine and sketch plants as they learn about roots, shoots, flowers and fruits. I encourage lots of drawing and playing with color to take notes rather than create a perfect plant portrait.
I teach or give lectures at The New England Wildflower Society, The Boston Mycological Society, The Massachusetts Horticultural Society, The Coastal Maine Botanic Garden, The Attleboro Museum, and the Wellesley College Botanic Gardens where I also write and illustrate articles about tropical plants and train the docents. My lectures are about pond life, tulips, orchids, succulents, gymnosperms, cacti, insects, fungi, art history, color, field sketching, old herbals, etc. As you can see I have a hard time focusing but see or learn something new each time I go outside and draw something, teach a class (and relearn what I have forgotten), or give a lecture. These activities help me focus (a little) and encourage me to see and learn about new things.
Check Mass Hort Web site for
days, hours. The website has a button on the left to click for "Campus Map", www.masshort.org/
NESBA egg tempera workshop
Heads up!!
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Patricia Giebutowski |
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Click for more info about egg tempera and the workshop
NESBA is sponsoring a workshop with renowned egg tempera artist, Koo Schadler.
Dates: October, Friday 28- Sunday 30
Where: Koo’s studio in Alstead, NH, near Keene
Time: 9 - 4
Cost: $ 408 per student, all supplies included. Payment due in full at time of registration. As the sponsor of this workshop, NESBA will provide an educational subsidy to members who attend of $60, payable after the workshop thereby reducing the cost to members to $348.
Number: Minimum 10 students, maximum 13
Registration: Handled by NESBA, with checks forwarded to Koo.
Payment: By check made out to Koo Schadler for $408 by Sept 17 and mailed to
Lucy Sur
19 Eliot Hill Road,
Natick, MA, 01760
Note: checks will not be cashed until after 10/1
Deadline for Registration: commitment by Sept. 17. If there are less than ten students at that time, we’d cancel and all money would be refunded.
Cancellation Policy: - If a student cancels before October 1st Koo will refund all money.
- If a student cancels after October 1st and has another person take their place, Koo will refund all money.
- Cancellations after October 1st forfeit the full tuition.
Accommodations: Please let registrants know that there are plenty of hotel, B&B, etc. options in the area but they can fill up in the fall. Our dates are past the peak of the foliage season but nonetheless people shouldn’t wait too long to secure accommodations.
Koo lists a variety of options (and the distance to her studio) on her website:
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