The North Carolina Circle of the American Society of Botanical Artists is a community of plant loving artists who share ideas and inspiration. We meet quarterly to discuss painting techniques and seek to grow as artists.
Tuesday, August 17, 2021
August 2021 Trading Cards...
Monday, August 9, 2021
Circle member wins Award for Distinction...what an accomplishment
Kate Lagaly, instructor in the Garden's Botanical Art & Illustration certificate program, recently received an Award for Distinction in the Colored Pencil Society of America's 29th International Exhibition. The exhibition includes 120 works from around the world, and 17 award winners. Kate had previously been accepted in the show nine times, which is an honor of its own. "To actually win one is very exciting and a long time goal," said Kate. View the exhibition >
Monday, March 8, 2021
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Big shout out to Linda Koffenberger for the two wonderful presentation she shared with us during Open Studio.
The following two slide presentations show examples of some of the best botanical illustrations created over a 400 year period. The first presentation covers illustrations from the 1500’s and 1600’s, during a period of rapid discovery of new plants from around the world. The second covers illustrations from the 1700’s and 1800’s - the Golden Age of Botanical Art - when the best European artists combined scientific accuracy with personal expression and artistic skill to create illustrations of unmatched beauty.
Perhaps browsing through these might give you some ideas for your own illustrations.
PRESENTATION ONE
Hortus Eystettensis, published in 1613 contained 367 images of over 1000 varieties of flowering plants done by Basel Besler for Johann Konrad von Gemmingen, Prince Bishop of Eichstatt, who grew every known plant of his day. First to show plants from the Americas - including fruits, cacti took 16 years, using copper engraving plates - actual size. Arranged the plants for aesthetic reasons
Theodor de Bry was the first illustrations are the first accurate European descriptions of American Flora and Fauna and were immediately popular. These are hand-colored engravings
Emanuel Sweert worked for Emperor Rudolf II to produce a book that would serve as a reference for growers as well as a sales catalog. His florilegium contained 110 engravings depleting 500 plants. Very popular and was repeatedly reissued between 1614 and 1655.
Daniel Rabel was court painter for Maria de Medici, regent of France. He published his Theatrum Florae containing 69 precise and beautiful engravings in 1622
Jean Baptiste Monnoyer was a highly successful French painter. These are examples from his portfolio of 12 botanical engravings - all tied with a bow!
Johann Christoph Volckamer was a wealthy Nuremberg merchant who could afford to maintain hothouses for tropical plants. He borrowed the style of Giovanni Battista Ferrari but went further and added detailed landscapes. which are popular among collectors.
Abraham Munting was a Dutch botanist and medical doctor who became director of the Hortus Botanicus at Groningen at the age of 32 and served there to his death in 1683. (33 years). His Phytographia Curiosa continued 245 images published in the Netherlands numerous times between 1696 and 1713. The images were often larger than life.