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Dear Friends:
We all know what happens when you plant a few seeds. Things start popping up, grow, and take on a life of their own.... well, the Academy's been a buzz all summer tending a strong distance learning garden from which even local students are reaping benefits.
Our exciting news of the month is that the prestigious Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is now the official certifying Garden for the Academy of Botanical Art Certificate Program, separate from and not to be confused with the Ringling College of Art and Design's Certificate Program in Botanical Art & Illustration which is still going strong and still based on the O.M. Braida Ten Step series of books.
In addition to the Academy's Certificate in Botanical Art & Illustration being certified by one of the leading orchid research gardens of the world, the Marie Selby Botanical Garden is offering a "Golden Orchid Award" to students who attend their review in person and make a "presentation" of their work to the review committee here in Sarasota, Florida. Free accommodations are even available on a first register, first serve basis for this special event. The student's FINAL INDEPENDENT STUDY presentation will now include as its 4th watercolor painting an Orchid or Bromeliad in honor of the Garden. Students will be able to communicate with Selby botanists to help them decide on which orchid to illustrate for this auspicious occasion
For those of you not already a part of the Academy Certificate Program, we are happy to report that this flexible program allows for distance learners to tailor a schedule of botanical art training to their needs that includes phone tutored lessons, classes with the Ringling College of Art and Design, the Marie Selby Botanical Garden, and Academy workshops now offered in several locations. Distance learners are even able to take advantage of classes offered in their hometown as part of their study program. There is hardly an excuse left not to join the Academy's growing school.
Now that's not all we've been up to this summer..... Our Botanical Drawing III book, which has been revised several times since 2003 to include the study of Orchids, has been rewritten. It is in its final change and is now called Botanical Drawing IIIA, Botanical Exploration for Botanical Reference. It was rewritten to focus completely on Historical Relevance and Orchids.
In addition, John Beckner and I have been sprucing up the Plant Morphology for Artists, Volume 10, and are happy with the new 86-Page edition. It offers more examples in support of the required student projects. We even have a course pak now for this volume, which does its best to provide additional information about plant description and terminology. See pricing below on our books and course paks.
Speaking of John Beckner, he has written a very fascinating story for you about Orchid pollen that I think you will enjoy. I hope that you are all well and having a splendid summer. I love to hear from you so please send an email and let me know how you are making out with your art. God bless. OM
BROWN ORCHID POLLEN
AND WHERE IT ALL LED....
by John Beckner, Botanist
By the late 1600's the microscope was in use. Tiny living objects were found and initially assumed to be animals of sorts. In the late 1700's, it was finally realized that the pollination of flowers was a fact (never mind that this had been known in Asia for millennia!) Pollen grains, and other tiny objects, were uncooperative -- jumping and jerking about, in ways that made their study difficult. It was reasonable at first to assume that little fins or legs or some such thing caused the motions. But these were not found and inert particles such as dust were equally lively. (We still do not adequately understand how many bacteria move.)
In the early 1800's a group of explorers, including the botanical artists, the BAUERS, and a British Botanist, Robert Brown, discovered the incredible plant life of Australia. Their disastrous series of adventures are too involved to discuss here. (Read more about this in the New Drawing IIIA book). When Brown finally got back home, he devoted himself to study of the amazing Australian terrestrial orchids. Most tropical epiphytic orchids have their pollen in a few (usually 2, 4, or 8) distinct waxy lumps, called pollinia. These terrestrials, like quite a few elsewhere, have loose powdery pollen, differing only in detail from a rose or hibiscus.
In the 1820's and 30's, microscopes were greatly improved and biology took a major advance. In 1828, Brown wrote a paper on the motion of pollen grains. His orchids were too precious to experiment on, so he looked at pollen of easily grown garden flowers.
For seven decades physicists, chemists, and biologists argued. For about 23 centuries, the idea of atoms had also tormented scholars. By 1900, the chemical elements were recognized as the basis of matter. But was each element made up of a distinct kind of atom? Were atoms anything more than a metaphor, a useful teaching image? Some very eminent scientists were denying atoms; some others were agnostic, saying they honestly did not know. A few thought atoms were real.
Shortly after 1900, a young German physicist, working as a patent examiner in Berne, Switzerland, gave up on trying for a Ph.D. He called the whole academic process a "comedy." So he wrote five short papers on ideas he had. Each was highly mathematical; each was a revolution in science. All were published in 1905 and early 1906. One of the papers discussed Brownian Motion and used it as proof that atoms were real! (There were other extraordinary things in these papers, such as the photoelectric phenomena that open supermarket doors.) (And there was a very short equation, which used with the proven reality of atoms, plus the quantum nature of energy in two other papers, led to the vaporization of two cities in Japan, exactly 40 years later!) The young man, of course, was Albert Einstein. Within a few years, he had a Ph.D. (one of the professors said his dissertation was 700 words short. Einstein added one sentence and got the degree! Comedy for sure.)
It is very easy to estimate the volume of a pollen grain or dust particle. If it floats in a liquid it must be about the same density as the liquid. But zigzagging, jumping, going in all directions in fractions of a second is very hard to measure. Many people will agree that Einstein was a very clever man. He measured the Brownian Motion, not as if it was a billiard ball, rather as if it was a gas cloud spreading in space.
Scientists accepted atoms (save a tiny number) within a few years. They cannot be ignored, or thought of as a mere ivory tower, tempest-in-a-teapot. They may save us or destroy us, either way they will change mankind. Pretty little intricate flowers, growing among strange plants near a river with black swans, led to this! JB
The All New OM ART Book Store
Click Here To Visit Our Book Store
Book Buys
Today's Botanical Artists
By Cora Marcus and Libby Kyer
The Principle of Relativity
By Albert Einstein, Frances A. Davis
Investigations on the
Theory
of the Brownian Movement
By Albert Einstein, Frances A. Davis
Plant Discoveries:
A Botanist's Voyage Through Plant Exploration
By Sandra Knapp
An Atlas of Orchid Pollination
By Nelis A. van der Cingel
Amazing Rare Things:
The Art of Natural History in the Age of Discovery
By David Attenborough
Academy of Botanical Art
Distance Learning
Now Available for Anyone
Interested in Endangered Species,
Bromeliads or Palms
Endangered Species for Botanical Artists
This wonderful course is available to anyone interested in the study of endangered species.
Academy Students earn elective credits for taking this course and completing the enclosed exam. A wealth of information that all will find extremely interesting.
Academy Electives: 15
by John Beckner, Botanist
$95.00
Bromeliads for Botanical Artists
The structure of bromeliad plants and their flowers
with suggestions for ways to illustrate and
better understand these exciting plants.
by John Beckner, Botanist
$49.95
Palms for the Botanical Artist
This publication is just the tip of an iceberg.
Palms are plants inclined to large dimensions.
They are very numerous and more varied than you first imagine. This text is for the person interested in illustrating them in various ways;
artistic or scientific and as a motif for crafts. But nearly all of it will be useful to plant lovers, tropical nature fans, gardeners and other people.
by John Beckner, Botanist
$49.95
Click here to learn more about the
Academy and its instructors
Now Available
Course Companion Paks
Course Paks are filled with
supportive information to accompany
"Ten Steps" Books Volumes 1-10
Book Volumes 1-8 = $38.00 each
Book Volumes 9 & 10 = $50.00 each
Full Set of Ten Step Books..$335.00
Course Paks 1-10 = $19.00 each
Full set of course paks...$157.00
plus Shipping & Handling
These same materials are sold in ABA classes.
Click Here To Order
Need Supplies? Visit Our Store!!
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The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running.
-Anonymous
We all move on the fringes of eternity and are sometimes granted vistas through the fabric of illusion.
-Ansel Adams
In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.
-Deepak Chopra
Love has the innate ability to look past the human and see the godly.
-Colette Burnham
No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.
-Calvin Coolidge
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Art Classes & Workshops
ANNOUNCING
ACADEMY IN KENTUCKY
The Arboretum & The Academy
present:
The Art of Botanical Drawing
with an
Introduction to Botanical Watercolor
in the French Court Tradition
The Dorotha Smith Oatts
Visitor Center
at the Arboretum
500 Alumni Drive
Lexington, KY
Monday – Thursday, August 25 – 28
9:00 a.m. – 4 :00 p.m.
Instructors:
Olivia Marie Braida-Chiusano,
Founder of the Academy of Botanical Art
Leslie Ramsey,
Certified Botanical Artist,
Certified Academy Instructor &
former student of Ms. Braida
$475 ($450 for Friends of The Arboretum)
plus a $45 materials fee (payable to the instructor and includes Course Pak materials for Drawing & Watercolor,
plus start-up watercolor paints).
Please call 859-257-9339 to
pre-register or for more information
Dates & Instructors Subject to Change
You can now combine
Distance Learning with Class Time
at any of our locations!!!
Private Classes with O.M.Braida
Studio 20
Time:
All Private Studio Classes
are from 9:30am to 2:30pm
Location:
2068 Sunnyside Lane, Sarasota, FL, 34239.
Just off 41 in the Southgate area two blocks north of Webber and the Mall.
Dates:
Studio 20 Classes Resume in October
Tuition:
4 classes/20 hours: $450
Individual class: $125
Refreshments provided, but you may want to bring your own lunch.
Credit Cards Accepted!
Register Here
Or contact olivia@omartdesigns.com
Or Call 941-953-9999 for more information
New York City Workshops
with O.M. Braida
Location:
New Studio for the Art of Painted Finishes
15 East 77th Street (Between 5th & Madison)
Ground Floor - Garden Level Studio
Time:
10:00am to 4:00pm
Dates:
Oct 27, 28, 29
Oct 31, Nov 1, 2
Tuition: One Three-Day Workshop........................ $425.00
Six-Day Intensive (October/November) $800.00
Credit Cards Accepted!
Register Here
Or contact olivia@omartdesigns.com
Or Call 941-953-9999 for more information
Academy of Botanical Art @
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
To Register, visit www.selby.org
Or Call Marilynn Shelley 941-366-5731 x 239
2008 Schedule
Botanical Drawing & Watercolor – Noon to 5pm
Aug. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 w/ TBA
Sept. 22, 23, 24 w/ TBA
Oct. 20, 21, 22 w/ Olivia Braida
Nov. 10, 11, 12 w/ Olivia Braida
Dec. 8, 9, 10 w/ Olivia Braida
Academy @ Selby
New Program Offering
Certificate in Calligraphy
with renowned Instructor
Victoria Kibildis
Five 4-Hour Classes for Each Course --
12 Noon to 4pm
To Register, visit www.selby.org
Or Call Marilynn Shelley 941-366-5731 x 239
2008
Course 2: Roman Capitals: Fri, Oct 17, 24, 31 Nov 7 & 14
2009
Course 3: Humanist Bookhand: Fri, Jan 16,23,30 Feb 6,13
Course 4: Formal & Semi-Formal Italic: Fri, Mar 20, 27 Apr 3, 17, 24
Course 1: Copperplate Script: Sat, August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Course 5: Illuminated Manuscript: Fri, Oct 16, 23, 30 Nov 6 & 13 (includes art instruction in composition for manuscripts w/ Olivia Braida
If you miss one of the courses, the program repeats itself. You can start your certificate program from any course except Course 5. So if you miss one of the courses you can catch it when it comes around again. Students who want to achieve the certificate need to take all five courses. Students are welcome to take these courses even if you do not intend to work toward a certificate.
Botanical Art & Illustration
Certificate Program Classes
Ringling College of Art and Design
Fall 2008 Term
Thursdays, Oct 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
6:30pm to 9:30pm
and
Thursdays, Nov 6, 13, 20, Dec 4, 11
6:30pm to 9:30pm
To Register, visit www.ringling.edu
Or call, 941-955-8866
Open Studio Workshops
for all levels
w/Olivia Braida
October to December - 6:30 to 9:30pm
Exhibits
Artist contributors
to the newly released book
will exhibit ORIGINAL work
June 9 to September 1, 2008
A portion from art sales will go to
The Horticultural Society of New York
981 Madison Ave.
New York, NY 10075
Tel. (212) 772-8787
Fax (212) 737-9306
Shop Hours:
Monday-Friday 10-6
Saturday 11-5
http://www.ursusbooks.com/
********
Exhibit of Original and
Reproduced Artwork
by Selby Instructors including
members of the Academy team.
June 5 to October 7, 2008
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
811 South Palm Avenue
Sarsota, Florida 34239
941-366-5731
********
Artist contributors
to the newly released book
Art Reproductions on Sale Now
Art Exhibit Scheduled
November 28 to December 30
East End Books
53 The Circle
East Hampton, NY 11937
631-324-8680
http://eastendbookstore.com/index.html
Exhibits Museums
South Florida Museum
201 10th Street West
Bradenton, Florida 34205
(941) 746-4131
http://www.southfloridamuseum.org/
John and Mable Ringling Museum
5401 Bay Shore Road,
Sarasota Florida 34243
(941) 359-5700
http://www.ringling.org/
Museum of Fine Arts
255 Beach Drive NE, St.
Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 896-2667
http://www.fine-arts.org/
Salvador Dali Museum
1000 Third Street South
St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-4901
(727) 823-3767
http://www.salvadordalimuseum.org/home.html
Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-3890
(412) 268-2434
http://huntbot.andrew.cmu.edu/
National Museum of Women in the Arts
1250 New York Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20005-3970
(202) 783-5000
1-800-222-7270
http://www.nmwa.org/
Smithsonian Institute
10th Street and Constitution Ave., NW in Washington, D.C. 20560
(202) 633-1000
http://www.si.edu/
Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10028
(212) 535-7710
http://www.metmuseum.org/
American Museum of Natural History
79th Street @ Central Park West
New York, New York
(212) 769-5100
http://www.amnh.org/
American Museum of Natural History
79th Street @ Central Park West
New York, New York
(212) 769-5100
http://www.amnh.org/
Modern Museum of Art
11 West 53 Street,
New York, NY 10019-5497
(212) 708-9400
http://www.moma.org/
Brooklyn Museum of Art
200 Eastern Pkwy
Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 638-5000
http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/
High Museum of Art
1280 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
(404) 733-HIGH
Receptionist: 404-733-4400
http://www.high.org/
Art Institute of Chicago
111 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois, 60603-6404
(312) 443-3600
http://www.artic.edu/aic/
Bruce Museum One Museum Drive
Greenwich, CT 06830
203-869-0376
http://www.brucemuseum.org/
Harvard University Museum of Natural History
Home of the famous Glass Flower Sculptures
by Leopold Blaschka (1822-1895)
and his son Rudolf (1857-1939)
22 Divinity Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 495-2365
http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu/
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