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.

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Hot Summer Days beginning to taper off?

Wait! What happened to July?

It was an early blooming season for wildflowers in the Front Range, frustrating and challenging botanical artists tasked to render species already in rags when visited. Wildfires raged across the drought-stricken Western Slope, adding smoke to our breathable air. Moose have taken it into their heads to cross the Great Divide and appear near Estes Park and Empire.

Well, July 1 was Canada Day; July 4 was US Independence Day. July 6 was a First Friday event for “Lost in the Woods,” and lots of Lookie-Lous came through. July 14 was Bastille Day (Vive la France!), and the RMSBA Art Show and Sale at Tagawa Gardens. July 23, ‘”Lost in the Woods” went into temporary storage after a very successful showing at Valkarie Gallery – the most traffic generated by an exhibit there so far this year! At least three works are now marked “sold.”


The last weekend brought the [four-day] Underground Music Showcase to SoBo, so your Editor decamped to Grand Lake Lodge, and saw an excellent production of “Annie.” The Rocky Mountain Land Library Buffalo Peaks Ranch in South Park hosted RMSBA (and other) guests on July 28, with a display of books from the collection useful to artists. 












“Invisible Links” opened August 15 and will run to mid-October at the Gates Court Gallery at Denver Botanic Gardens. The Artist Reception was Sunday, August 19, 1-3 pm; hope you didn’t miss it. Do see this show; several members have work in it, and it really is amazing. An emissary from a venue in North Carolina has approached about traveling the exhibit. Way to go!

Artists seeking inspiration for projects might want to consider participating in the Rare Plant Symposium of the Colorado Native Plant Society
Sept. 14th from 8:30-4:00
Northside Aztlan Community Center
112 E. Willow St., Fort Collins, CO

Registration @ www.conps.org

“This year we will highlight the northeast Colorado G2&G3 species in addition to the G1s, T&E and a brief review of the BLM and Forest Service sensitive species. A detailed agenda will be posted on the CoNPS website. Registration is still $10, either walk-in or in advance.”
“Lost in the Woods” will be moving to the CU Museum of Natural History in Boulder this fall, and “Cannabis: A Visual Perspective” moves to the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College in Durango in September. We’re on the College Circuit!

Member Meeting on the schedule for September 30, location TBD.

ASBA Annual Conference in St. Louis, October 11-13. Still time to Register.