An introduction to botanical drawing will be led by artist and renowned teacher Catherine Watters on Friday and Saturday, November 11-12, from 8:30 – 4 pm in conjunction with the Alcatraz Florilegium exhibition. Additional inspiration and source material will be found on the grounds at the Marin Art & Garden Center.

This two-day class will introduce students to the fascinating world of botanical art, a blend of art and science that captures the natural world with beauty and clarity.  Students will learn to observe, measure and draw plants in great detail and with botanical accuracy, working with graphite, colored pencils and watercolor.  All levels are welcome and no experience or art training is required.  Materials list provided.

About the instructor:

An artist and instructor at Filoli in Woodside, Catherine M. Watters also teaches in France, at Wellesley College and ASBA conferences.  Her paintings have recently been exhibited at the Museum of Sydney, Parc de Bagatelle, Paris; the Shirley Sherwood Gallery, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation; The Horticultural Society of New York; Filoli and the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden.  Co-founder of the Alcatraz Florilegium and the Chateau de Brecy Florilegium in France, her paintings have been featured in several books and magazines.  A long-time member of the ASBA Board of Directors, she is a member of the Societe Francaise d’Illustration Botanique.

What is a Florilegium?

A Florilegium is a collection of botanical drawings and paintings depicting the plants of an area.  A Florilegium can be of plants found in a particular garden, or on a voyage of exploration such as Captain Cook’s voyage to the South Seas in the 18^th century.  Historically, Florilegia were created to document plants scientifically long before cameras were invented.  Contemporary Florilegia continue this tradition.

The Northern California Society of Botanical Artists is a chapter of the American Society of Botanical Artists (ASBA), whose mission is to promote public awareness of contemporary botanical art, honoring its traditions and furthering its development.