Mission Statement

The Rocky Mountain Society of Botanical Artists is an open and diverse group of artists, collectors and admirers who share a love for the practice and perpetuation of botanical art and illustration with a fond focus on plants in the Rocky Mountain Region.
We encourage and participate in educational outreach, juried and non-juried exhibits, lectures, workshops and regular chapter meetings. The RMSBA is proud to be the very first chapter affiliation of the international organization, the American Society of Botanical Artists.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Super Summer Challenge

Colorado Plein Air 2013August 1st-September 9th
Don’t miss an opportunity to paint in some of the most spectacular urban and natural settings the Denver area has to offer at The Colorado Plein Air Festival – 2013
Go to the website for all the information you need to participate in this annual, outdoor, summer-time, sun-splashed, moon-lit, urban, parkland, plant, animal and architecture challenge. What could be more fun than finding the perfect specimen, in the perfect setting, and painting it where it stands! A great way to finalize all those Remembering Summer artworks for our annual online exhibition.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Exhibit Alert

Want to see some state-of-the-art realism, with some botanical work to make your botanical heart sing? Head to Gallery 1261 for a group exhibition by some masters in our area. The image below is a tasty tease to get you to head on down for the opening on July 26th.

Image of Gallery 1261's Group Exhibition | Promotional Image

Inspiration is where you find it. This weekend, try finding it at Gallery 1261. For more info, click: Gallery 1261.

Digital POW!

The cool thing about an iPhone, at least to me, is the availability of apps. I can't commend the iPhone on its "phone-like" abilities or even reliability, but it has great app appeal! So, I went here to find the best:

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You can go by clicking here: Apps for Artists. There are ELEVEN cool apps right at your fingertips from this site. With a little bit of rummaging around on the Internet, you'll find more, I'm sure! Share your finds by including them in an email to rmsbartists@gmail.com. We'll all say thanks!
 
 
 

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Happenings

Strawberries in Green Bowl, watercolor, 10x8", Kathy Cranmer

Member Kathy Cranmer is the featured Artist at Co-art Gallery in July. Her husband’s band is playing outside on the patio for the reception on Third Friday Art Walk.
Co-art Gallery
864 Santa Fe Drive
Denver, CO 80204
ARTIST'S RECEPTION
Collector's Friday July 19, 5 - 8 PM
World Class Rock by THOSE GUYS
 
 
Pink Tulips with a Blue Bottle, watercolor, 7x10", Kathy Cranmer 
 
 
In addition, Kathy's  painting “Pink Tulips with a Blue Bottle” (Watercolor 7"x10") was selected for the Colorado Watercolor Society Small Works Show. You can see her work in the exhibit at Lapis Gallery.
Lapis Gallery
July 5 thru July 27
3971 Tennyson St., Denver CO
Congratulations, Kathy! Check out her class offering on the right under Workshops.
 

Big, beefy, beautiful! Return of the Titan!

The Titum Arum at the US Botanic Gardens is ready to bloom! This is today's image, and you can follow its progress at Titum Arum Blooms.
 
The USBG is very proud of this turn of events, and tells us: 
 
The titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum), also known as the corpse flower or stinky plant, is about to bloom at the United States Botanic Garden Conservatory! Once fully open, it may remain in bloom for 24 to 48 hours, and then it will collapse quickly.
The magic of the titan arum comes from its great size - it is reputed to have the largest known unbranched inflorescence in the plant kingdom.
 
Referred to as the corpse flower or stinky plant, its putrid smell is most potent during peak bloom at night into the early morning. The odor is often compared to the stench of rotting flesh. The inflorescence also generates heat, which allows the stench to travel further. This combination of heat and smell efficiently attracts pollinators, such as dung and carrion beetles, from across long distances.
 
The titan arum does not have an annual blooming cycle. The time between flowering is unpredictable, which can span from a few years to a few decades. The plant requires very special conditions, including warm day and night temperatures and high humidity, making Botanic Gardens well suited to support this strange plant outside of its natural range.
 
This plant is native to the tropical rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, and was first discovered in 1878. Public viewing of this unique plant has occurred a limited number of times in the United States. The U.S. Botanic Garden last displayed a blooming titan arum in 2007.

Sheila Payne, A Retrospective, Reception on Saturday




We look forward to seeing you Saturday at Square Deal Gallery for this amazing retrospective of our member Sheila Payne's life work in the arts. Join us for this reception, meet the artist, and marvel at the works!

July 16 through August 23
Sheila Payne, A Retrospective
Square Deal Gallery
1460 S. Colorado Boulevard
Denver, CO
Reception: Saturday, July 20, 2013, 4 to 6 PM.

Get Your County Fair Art Kicks Here


Nothing says summer quite like a county fair. Denver County's fair sponsors an art exhibit open to all Colorado residents! Check out the scene and get entry requirements and schedules at All About Art at the Fair. Lots of opportunities and so much fun.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Postcards from...the Amazon!

Susie Olson has finished another watercolor painting inspired by her Amazon travels. This large work is of a native Heliconia.

 
 
We'd love to see the artistic results of your travels. Click here:

to connect with our email directly, and share your summer art endeavors with our members. And remember, we have our annual online exhibition Remembering Summer - 2013, coming up soon. Start saving those wonderful sketches, prints and paintings for display in October and November.