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!