Mission Statement

Founded in 1997, the Rocky Mountain Society of Botanical Artists (RMSBA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is the first regional chapter of the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA).

The Society is dedicated to promoting public awareness of contemporary botanical art, honoring its traditions and furthering its development. It is open to all, artists and art patrons alike. We believe that by joining together, we foster increased awareness and appreciation for this beautiful art form. It is our goal to educate the public about botanical art, support the artist creating these works, and support awareness of plants place in the world, and their environmental challenges with a special focus on plants in peril.

These artworks are realistic portrayals of plants, their flowers, fruiting bodies, seeds, roots and pollinators. Each piece is scientifically accurate, insuring all aspects are true reflections of the plant portrayed. Modern elements of of light, depth, composition and increased 3-dimensionality grow the tradition. The resulting renderings are exquisitely detailed, able to illustrate far more detail than found in photographs.

Work is presented in all 2-dimensional media, including ink, watercolor, gouache, scratchboard, acrylics, oils, graphite, carbon and colored pencil, excluding photos and computer generated images. Sculpture that meets scientific accuracy is welcome.

We are in an era of resurgence of interest in botanial art. These artists produce images that seamlessly blend old traditions and new, scientfic facts with contemporary creative arts, resulting in works that bloom gracefully and endlessly.



Monday, June 27, 2011

It's officially summer...

Hesperaloe parviflora, colored pencil on Mylar, Mervi Hjelmroos-Koski

...and that means all those things you planned to do are well underway now. Even with your busy schedule, don't miss the chance to explore works by American modernist Allan Houser (Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache, 1914-1994) in an outdoor sculpture exhibition at Denver Botanic Gardens. Native Roots | Modern Form: Plants, Peoples and the Art of Allan Houser will be at the Gardens from May 1 through November 13, 2011. The sculptures are compelling and monumental.

Native Roots | Modern Form celebrates bonds between people and also presents Native American uses for plants indigenous to the Rocky Mountains and the Southwest. There are some interesting and fun classes in botanical art in association with this exhibit, including Native Earth, an exploration of the forms of Houser's sculpture and the "three sisters" of Native American plants, corn, beans and squash, in colored pencil, with Libby Kyer starting August 12th; Indigenous Plants and Native American Cuisines, an exploration into the broad array of Native American plants used for food, medicine and ceremony, in the medium of your choice with Marjorie Leggitt, starting August 11; as well as classes on Native Grasses with Karla Beatty starting  August 9; and Pen and Ink III: Arizona Legumes II with Marjorie Leggitt starting September 19.

One day soon, when ducking indoors to access a bit of coolth on a hot day, why not take a moment and send me two images of your artwork, to rmsbartists@gmail.com? JPGs are great, about 150 dpi, in color. Include the titles of your paintings, medium/media, and if you wish, a brief note about where you found the specimens you simply had to paint!

Links this week in Ephemera include a pastel tutorial, news about the Kirland Museum, an idea generator on line, and a website with the work of regional arist Peggy Turchette. Enjoy!
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