What’s New from the Studio of Linda C. Miller, May 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Linda C. Miller, Artist, Naturalist and Instructor) — Sun, 06 May 2012 20:21:00 +0000

Happy May everyone!
As I write, I am looking at my remaining Easter candy and my calendar. April was filled with so many wonderful activities. Now I know why I have candy left.

Early in the month, I shared my passion with the ladies of the York River Garden Club – a talk about the history of botanical art featuring artists old and new. Botanical art is great for show and tell!

I led my fourth annual Spring Botanical Watercolor Workshop at The Elizabethan Gardens. I would like to thank Alice, Catherine, Cathy, Karen, Margarette and Nancy for three delightful days.
And Alice, Catherine and Margarette have been to all four workshops!

The garden was so beautiful, as was everyone’s paintings. Why one of the gift shop staff asked if she could buy Karen’s iris painting!

The following week, I was back at The Gallery at York Hall giving an art demonstration. That day a nor’easter storm came through and it poured all day. I would like to thank Arlene for coming down from Providence Forge to visit and I hope to meet with your artist group later this year.

I held my first Botanical Workshop in Williamsburg at the new Interpretive Center at Freedom Park. I just love this venue. In the meeting room, there are floor to ceiling windows on three walls, filling the room with nature and natural light. Thank Angie, Carol, Josh, Nancy and Robert for making this workshop such a success.

"Keep Your Heart Open"
featured on the cover!

I was invited by Carl Curnutte, Executive Director of The Elizabethan Gardens to participate in this year's “Spring for the Arts” Home and Garden Tour, an annual fundraising event showcasing homes and gardens on the charming Roanoke Island.

So my husband and I packed up the car and headed back to OBX.


Linda with Jeff Lewis, Garden and Greenhouse Manager

I had hoped to be in the rose garden but the weather was not the best ~ cloudy, windy, cold and may I add again windy – so I worked under the cover of their porch. Thankfully it did not stop the 401 guests who came out for the tour.

I donated a framed print of the Virginia Dare Rose, a rose propagated for The Elizabethan Gardens. The winner of the raffle was one of the event volunteers and member of the local garden club. Thank you everyone for stopping by to say hello. Eileen it was so nice to see you again! I would also like to thank Barbara St. Amand, President of the Dare County Arts Council, for placing me at my favorite garden ~ The Elizabethan Gardens.

October 2011

In May, I will host two workshops – a free children’s workshop at The York County Master Gardeners’ Learning Garden and a Botanical and Nature Watercolor workshop at my favorite art center – The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center in Hampton, Virginia. (See below)

Find of the Month – a transparent paint to replace French ultramarine. I decided to treat myself and bought two new tubes of paint at my favorite local art supply, Walls Alive. Their artist quality brand is MaimeriBlu, an Italian manufacturer known for its finely ground pigments. I purchased the #377 Blu DiFaenza and #110 Giallo Permanente Arancio. The Blu DiFaenza is a must have for those who love to paint with transparent pigments. It is the same color as a French ultramarine and it is truly transparent. It builds up nicely without getting muddy and the dry shifting is not as great as a Prussian blue.

My Cinco De Mayo Present!

Yesterday was Cinco De Mayo and I spent the morning with my favorite art group in the Saturday studio class, led by my mentor Jim Jones, a fabulous realism painter. After lunch, I came home and looked out my kitchen window and saw a baby fawn foraging in my yard!

I quickly grabbed my camera and went out on the porch. After a few photos, I decided to go out on the deck to take a few more knowing that the mother must be near. I remember hearing three "bleats" and not a second later the baby fawn was down and hiding. I didn't stay long and went into the studio to paint. After an hour, I came back downstairs to see that the fawn had left.

NEWS from Newtown Art Gallery
I will be at the gallery on May 11,13, 27, 30 and 31. Please stop by and visit as I paint.

We will be celebrating our Second Anniversary with a Special Reception on Friday June 29th from 5 to 8 pm. With food a plenty and wine, please stop in to meet the artists, view our new work and listen to our guest muscians "Replay". Our charity for this event is The ARC of Williamsburg. This event is free and open to the public. Please mark your calendars and come to Williamsburg!!!!!

Thank You.... Ms. Fitzgerald, Mrs. Chopp and Mr. Smith for coming to the gallery and choosing one of my original paintings for your home!
1540 Main Street, Williamsburg Virginia 23185
(757) 229-5140

On EXHIBIT
33rd Virginia Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition
Juror, Dan Smith

"Holding On"

Pomegranate Fruits

Watercolor on Paper

Specimen: Watercolor

Size: 29 inches by 21 inches

Custom framing, archival matting and glazing

$650

The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center

April 15 to May 27, 2012

WORKSHOPS with Linda

Saturday, May 12
10AM to NOON
"Art in the Garden" Children's Workshop at The York County Master Gardener's Learning Garden

May 21-23, 2012
Monday - Wednesday
Botanical and Nature Watercolor Workshop

The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center

To see the current Workshop Schedule, please click on the tab above. Private Lessons: If you live near by, I also work with people in their homes. I am experienced with students from 7 to 89 years of life! And to learn what Students have to say about Linda's workshops, see the list of Visiting Artist Workshops and Linda's Materials List, please click on the link below.....

Art Instruction, Materials List and Visiting Artist Workshops

Linda’s FAVORITES

I would like to thank Jeff Lewis, Garden and Greenhouse Manager at The Elizabethan Gardens. As I was leaving the garden, after the first day of my watercolor workshop, I stopped to say hello to Jeff and Gary. Jeff asked that I wait a moment, that he had something for me. Out he came with a book in his hand and said, “You must have this book. It is perfect for you.”

Seeing Trees Discover the Extraordinary Secrets of Everyday Trees
by Nancy Ross Hugo
If you love trees, this is a must for your library. Page after page are macro, professional photographs of tree flowers, fruits, leaf scales, bark, and leaves by Robert Llewellyn all set upon a white background (sound familiar!) Also the writing is contemporary and conversational. Thank you Jeff for my wonderful and thoughtful present.

Jeff is also a naturalist who captures nature and especially our feathered friends at their best. If you pick up the paper in OBX, his "nature" moments are always a feature. He also teaches nature photography at The Elizabethan Gardens!

To see a few of Jeff Lewis's feathered friends, click here...

How this site works: To view a category, select a Tab at the top of the page. To go back to the first page, simply click on Home, at the bottom of each page.

Happy Painting, Linda

American Society of Botanical Artists

Botanical Art Society of the National Capitol Region

Certified Virginia Master Naturalist

Virginia Watercolor Society

Linda C. Miller
Artist ~ Naturalist ~ Instructor
http://www.lindacmillerbotanicalarttoday.com/
http://www.thebotanicalartstore.com/

Email: botanicalarttoday@yahoo.com
Copyright Linda C. Miller, May 6, 2012

Magnolia x soulangiana, First painting from The Elizabethan Gardens Linda C. Miller

noreply@blogger.com (Linda C. Miller, Artist, Naturalist and Instructor) — Fri, 13 May 2011 21:40:00 +0000

Here is my first painting from

The Elizabethan Gardens

"Keep Your Heart Open"

Saucer Magnolia

Magnolia x soulangiana

Watercolor on paper

Specimen: The Elizabethan Gardens

Size: 22 inches wide by 17 inches high

Copyright Linda C. Miller, 2011
$725
Custom framing with archival mats and conservation glass

Available at the Gatehouse Gift Shop

The Elizabethan Gardens

1411 National Park Drive
Manteo, North Carolina
Please call 252.473.3234

The tree on The Elizabethan Gardens' property is one of the largest, mature Saucer Magnolia trees that I have ever seen. I have a tree on my property where the branches are herbaceous and only as round as my pinkie finger, if that. Their inside petal colors are always white and succulent. The outer petals range from the brightest, deepest raspberry red to a soft, yet vibrant violet. This year's blooms were violet.

This painting shows the spring buds and blooms in their various stages! I just love the branches too - the new herb growth and the last season's wood are so textural and make these unusual turns on this mature specimen. The new branches have all these wonderful small fuzzy buds where the leaves sprout out after their flowers are pollinated. What a gift! Please keep in mind that it takes tremendous "energy" and "resources" for this tree and any plant to produce their flowers.

Signed prints are available at The Elizabethan Gardens' Gatehouse Gift Shop as well as at my local galleries. For those who live afar - at my new online store

The Botanical Art Store

Happy Painting, Linda

Linda C. Miller
Artist~Naturalist~Instructor
http://www.lindacmillerbotanicalarttoday.com/

Hellebore Orientalis, "First Place" Honors Linda C. Miller

noreply@blogger.com (Linda C. Miller, Artist, Naturalist and Instructor) — Sun, 09 May 2010 23:03:00 +0000

Jean Walker Award

First Place

Annual Member Exhibition

This Century Art Gallery

Exhibited: June, 2010

"In 2010 after many brush strokes for the last two years and four botanical workshops with Juliet Kirby and one of my favorite teachers Lara Call Gastinger, I entered my first juried exhibition at my local art center here in Williamsburg. I will never forget the moment when my husband and I walked in the door and turned right into the first gallery. One, there was my work - two, there was a ribbon and three, it was for my work. I, who truly don't like crowds, went that evening without a knowing and so glad. To the paint angels who stop by my studio, thank you ever so much!"

Linda

This is a large piece, 18 inches wide by 22 inches high. It shows all the wonderful stages of the flower developing into its fruit. I created the original drawing in 2008 and worked from a live cutting taken from the same specimen that spring.

Lenten Rose

Hellebore Orientalis

Image Size: 18 inches wide by 22 inches high

Specimen: Williamsburg

Judged by
Brian Kreydatis, College of William & Mary
Cece Wheeler, Thomas Nelson Community College

Botanical Art Today, from Linda Miller Williamsburg Virginia

What’s New from the Studio of Linda C. Miller, May 2012

Magnolia x soulangiana, First painting from The Elizabethan Gardens Linda C. Miller

Hellebore Orientalis, "First Place" Honors Linda C. Miller