Genesee Community College Offers Botanical Drawing and Painting Workshop

BATAVIA, NY (12/03/2009)(readMedia)-- Area residents can discover their inner artist at a Botanical Drawing and Painting Workshop at Genesee Community College. Two full days of instruction will be offered on February 6 and 13, 2010 in the Alfred C. O'Connell Library at the Batavia Campus. Funded in part by the President's Innovation Award (PIA) Program, the Botanical Drawing and Painting Workshop is open to all residents, 16 years of age and older of the Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties on a first-come, first-served basis. All artistic backgrounds and abilities are welcomed.

Botanical drawing and painting has a long tradition in both the arts and sciences. Plants and flowers are not only favorite subjects of scientific study but are also a great source of inspiration for creating art. In many communities, botanical painting has become a popular endeavor among people of varying backgrounds and artistic abilities from a person painting for pleasure, to a professional illustrator rendering an accurate representation of a plant for a scientific publication. Through a series of hands-on workshops, Genesee Community College will provide area residents a venue to pursue an interest in painting botanical subjects.

The workshop is opened to a maximum of 15 participants and a $20 fee will cover basic materials needed for the program. Participants should bring two containers for water (jars or quart-sized plastic containers), clean cotton rags, and a packed lunch and beverage. Morning refreshments and coffee and tea will be provided. Participants are also welcomed to bring any drawing or painting materials they already have, a live plant/flower or pictures of plant life that they wish to draw and a digital camera.

Tentative program for the Botanical Drawing and Painting Workshop: (Venue- Library Media Room)

Saturday, February 6, 2010 (9:00AM 4:00PM)

  • 9:00-9:30AM Welcome, refreshments, and orientation - Neil Liwanag and Nina Warren
  • 9:30-10:15 - Basic plant anatomy & nomenclature talk with Maureen Leupold and a tour of the library's plant collection with Nina Warren
  • 10:15-10:45 - Library resources on botanical art - Laura Dumuhosky
  • 10:45- 12:00 - Sketching and drawing plants with graphite pencil Neil Liwanag
  • 12:00-1:00 Lunch break
  • 1:00-4:00 Exploring various drawing media (pen and ink techniques, ink wash, etc) Neil Liwanag

Saturday, Feb 13, 2010 (10:00AM 5:00PM)

  • Botanicals in Watercolor with Camille Doucet- Painting Workshop: An overview of watercolor techniques with an introduction to color theory

A French native from Quebec, Canada, Camille Doucet has happily called the green hills of New York State her home for the last 22 years. She has taught art classes privately and at Cornell University since 2003 and the Community School of Music and Art in Ithaca, NY since 1998. She is also the president of GNSI Finger Lakes (a local chapter of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators). Camille also leads summer outdoor workshops and classes and is represented by the Corners Gallery in Ithaca NY.

The PIA Program provides funding for innovative activities and projects that promote community involvement in the life of Genesee Community College, or stimulate student and community pride in the College, or help establish pilot programs or initiatives with the potential for positive, long-term impact on the College.

Registration and payment is due by January 22, 2010. Checks can be made payable to Genesee Community College. Registrations can be mailed to Alfred C. O'Connell Library c/o Neil Liwanag, Genesee Community College One College Road, Batavia, NY 14020 or dropped off in person at the Library at the Batavia Campus. For further information please contact Neil Liwanag at 343-0055 x6150 or ncliwanag@genesee.edu.

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