Hope your New Year is going well

Artists’ Reception for Lost in the Woods at Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail, Colorado, is scheduled for Monday, March 2, 2020, 2 – 5 pm. Good news from this venue: Patty Whalen sold her piece and Jeanne Benson sold one of hers! [deletion] Congratulations to these artists.

ASBA encourages us to pay our 2020 dues (newly enlarged) on the ASBA web page forthwith and posthaste (by February 12). Remember to check off the box for RMSBA. The MotherShip did send us all mailers in the fall, soliciting contributions to the ASBA General Fund, etc. Our RMSBA Treasurer, Vanessa Martin, might welcome some small gifts to our own General Fund, also tax deductible.

RMSBA Exhibits! We plan two exhibits to prepare for 2020. We encourage artists to participate as committee members for each of these efforts, as well as presenting your skilled portrayals. Proposals and subject lists are in preparation.

“From Platte to Peak” calls for illustration of plant specimens collected by Edwin James during the first actual scientific expedition to the western High Plains, led by Major Stephen H. Long, during the summer of 1820. Many plants are familiar and widely dispersed, and you may have some depictions of them in your extended portfolio. The Call for Entry is at Online Juried Shows, open now and closing August 15, 2020. Martha Narey is the contact for the James Plant List.

“Plant – Insect Intersections” calls for renderings of the insect and arachnid collection – and associated plants, of course – held by the CU Museum of Natural History, to open in early 2021. The Call will be posted to Online Juried Shows, and Vanessa Martin will be the contact.

More information will appear on this Blog and via MailChimp. Do plan to attend the Sunday, February 23, 2020 Member Meeting (Gates Hall, Denver Botanic Gardens) for details and presentations about these shows. We want your artwork!

Feathers and Flora is ending at the CU Museum of Natural History. Information about future venues will be forthcoming, but we can report that Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail is interested.

Upcoming opportunities for 2020 include April’s Gathering of the Guilds in Golden and July’s Tagawa Gardens Lavender Festival, High Plains Iris Society Sale, and the RMSBA Show and Sale. Cards, small prints, handmade sketchbooks, and such have done well at GoG. The Tagawa people love demonstrations: last year we took them silverpoint, colored pencil, and carbon dust. Work up your demonstration, and come to Tagawa, not forgetting to bring your cards, small prints, handmade sketchbooks, etc.

Cannabis: A Visual Perspective has formally closed, but a new lease on view-life for most of the pieces, along with some supplemental botanical works to be solicited soon, will come during April, as La Cour Bistro and Art Bar will have them on display [La cour is French for The Court]. More information about that coming right up.

National Western Stock Show was waaay warmer than we’re used to this year. The Coors Western Art Show was especially good. The K-12 Art Show was very entertaining, and we can probably expect to hear from some of those youngsters. The Wool Show is always interesting – it’s far beyond the Rodeo experience.

Best in Show - "First Response"

Editor's Favorite

For our Prez

DAM! You have three more days to try to see the Monet exhibit in the Hamilton Building at the Denver Art Museum. Also truly wonderful is The Light Show, including Lucas Samaras’ beautiful Corridor #2 (up until May). Go ye and see.

Editor's Favorite

Corridor #2