Botanical Art Today, from Linda Miller Williamsburg Virginia

What's New from the Studio of Linda C. Miller - January 2012

2011-12-31T13:55:00.009-05:00

Happy New Year!

Here is my studio!

The studio and my bonus room are filled with paintings and dried specimens including works from The Elizabethan Gardens and the specimens that I picked up this fall.

"Holding On"
Original Watercolor 22 x 30 inches

One of my favorites from the fall series is titled “Holding On.” If you love fall, this work is just that. The fruits of this specimen dried the most of any of the others, turning a warm brown. I just loved their position on its branch and it was the only “pair” that I had found on the ground. This is a large painting taking a full sheet of watercolor paper (22 x 30 inches). The fruits are painted with many transparent layers of raw sienna, raw and burnt umber and Indian red while the branches were painted with my favorite mud mixture of cobalt blue, permanent rose and transparent yellow, using my dry brush technique to recreate its unique texture.

It is currently reserved for exhibition. It is one of three paintings that I entered in the 2012 Virginia Watercolor Society’s Member Exhibition. This is the first time that I am entering the statewide competition. Once an artist has been invited to exhibit three times, one becomes a “Signature Member” of VWS. The bonus ~ this year’s exhibition, which is held in a different location each year, is at my favorite art center. Wish me luck there are more than 400 members in this group and roughly 100 paintings are accepted.

The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center

Hampton Virginia

www.hamptonarts.net

The exhibition opens to the public on April 15^th from 1 – 5 pm

Exhibition April 15 to May 27, 2012

Juror Dan Smith

Saucer Magnolia II
Original Watercolor 19 x 15 inches

I also finished a new painting of the Saucer Magnolia, which will be included in the Hampton Arts League Exhibition that opens later this month. I just loved the bark on this specimen where the one side had this rich deep purple where the new bark was still apparent. I hope you can make this show. There will be 233 works in a variety of media. The Opening Reception will be packed with artists!

The Charles H. Taylor Arts Center

Hampton, Virginia

www.hamptonarts.net

EXHIBITION DATES: January 29- February 26, 2012

OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, January 28, 3:00-5:30 pm

Juror CAROLYN F. DAVIS

New ! THE BOTANICAL ART STORE

Last month, I worked with Hampton Roads Giclee, a digital print studio, to help me create prints of my larger works, which include the two new works above as well as my first paintings from The Elizabethan Gardens and “My Gardenia’s Gift from its Midnight Pollinator.” I am now able to recreate my work in a variety of sizes and create giclee prints where the pigments are lightfast and protect against UV radiation.

"Tic Tac Toe" Print

AND I opened my first online store – The Botanical Art Store for those who live afar. You will see prints made from my originals as well as those created with my computer, featured in the “Whimsies” tab. My “Tic Tac Toe” print was made with my laptop on my lap while watching TV. After placing the artichokes, I realized that they were aligned on one of the diagonals, just like the game. It just happened and I love the composition!

Workshops with Linda

Photo by Jeff Lewis

My next workshop is at The Elizabethan Gardens in February where we will be painting camellias. The camellia is a signature species of the garden with more than 300 plantings and 175 cultivators. As they will be in full bloom, this workshop is perfect for the beginner or advanced student to learn more about painting petals and glossy leaves.

I have also added two new workshops here in Williamsburg ~ a Pen and Ink Class this March and a Botanical Art Workshop in April! To see the current Workshop Schedule, please click on the tab above.

Linda’s Favorites

I am currently reading a fabulous book by Andrea Wulf titled “The Brother Gardeners Botany, Empire and The Birth of an Obsession. It is a splendid book “bringing to life the science and adventure of the eighteenth-century plant collecting” with names such as Tradescent, Bartram, Banks, Sloan, Linnaeus and Darwin. Thank you Jeanette for placing this wonderful book in our library.

Here is a link where you can learn more about Mr. Bartram, known as the colonial botanist, who is responsible for stocking England’s nurseries with American trees.

http://www.terrain.org/articles/18/rowland.htm

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May you have a healthy, prosperous and joyful New Year!

Happy Painting, Linda

American Society of Botanical Artists

Botanical Art Society of the Nations Capitol Region

Virginia Master Naturalists

Virginia Watercolor Society

Linda C. Miller

Artist ~ Naturalist ~ Instructor

www.lindacmillerbotanicalarttoday.com

www.thebotanicalartstore.com

botanicalarttoay@yahoo.com

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

2011-05-13T17:40:00.063-04:00

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
Reserved for Exhibition

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 herbacious and only as round as my pinkie finger, if that. Their inside petal colors are always white and suculent. The outer petals range from the brightest, deepest rasberry 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 pollentated. What a gift! Please keep in mind that it takes tremendous "energy" and "resources" for this tree and any plant to produce their flowers.

Prints, giclees and note cards are coming soon at The Elizabethan Gardens' Gatehouse Gift Shop, my local galleries and - for those who live afar - at my new online store

The Botanical Art Store

Happy Painting, Linda

Linda C. Miller
Artist~Naturalist~Instructor
www.lindacmillerbotanicalarttoday.com

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

2010-05-09T19:03:00.060-04:00

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

Punica granatum 'Nana', Exhibited Pfac Biennial 2010 Exhibition Linda C. Miller

2009-08-30T10:37:00.070-04:00

Photo from Biennial 2010 Exhibition

Dwarf Pomegranate

Punica granatum 'Nana'

Watercolor on HP 300 lb paper, 2008

Size: 13 inches high by 19 inches wide, partial view

This beautiful flower is from my dear friend's 19th century farmhouse garden. A garden filled with mature and old timey plantings. This is my first major painting where I sat on my back porch drawing this composition for over three hours.

What is most memorable about this painting is how I so enjoyed depicting the bark and the flower buds. I truly enjoy using dry brush to bring out all the details one stroke at a time.

New Town Art Gallery

5140 Main Street

Williamsburg, Virginia

757.229.5140

www.newtownartgallery.com

Tuesday - Saturday 11 AM to 6 PM, Sunday Noon to 5 PM

Exhibited

Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Biennial 2010 Exhibition
Juror Sculptor, Mr. Richard Hunt selected 72 works by 58 artists, from 472 submissions.