Contact: Kim Small

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 BOTANICAL DRAWING

IN COLOR

 A Basic Guide to Mastering Realistic Form and Naturalistic Color

 By Wendy Hollender

 BOTANICAL DRAWING IN COLOR (Watson-Guptill; July 20, 2010; $24.99 trade paperback) offers a thorough immersion into the world of three-dimensional, scientifically accurate, and artistically rendered natural illustration.  Whether you’re an amateur in this unique genre or already an expert, these step-by-step instructions and beautiful examples are an invaluable reference guide, written by one of the leading experts in the field, Wendy Hollender.

 Plants and flowers are wonderful subject matter—not only for their natural beauty but also because they are still and easy to observe.  Hollender became fascinated with botanical illustration through her work as a textile designer.  Attempting to teach herself how to draw plants and flowers, she grew frustrated with the intricacies and challenges and assumed she would have to go abroad to Europe to truly learn the proper techniques.  How surprised she was, then, to discover a program for botanical drawing practically in her own backyard—at the New York Botanical Garden! 

 Toward the end of her first year studying botanical illustration, Hollender was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent multiple surgeries and chemotherapy.  During her treatments, she relied on  her drawing to focus on something other than her illness.  “It was clear to everyone who came into the [hospital] room that this was my way of turning a traumatic time into one of birth and renewal,” she writes in her introduction.  She considers being introduced to botany at the same time as being diagnosed with cancer a gift in her life.

 BOTANICAL DRAWING IN COLOR offers an easy-to-follow workbook format.  Lessons are developed in a basic step-by-step process that builds in complexity as they progress.  It emphasizes the deep connections to the natural world that artists can experience by studying plants and their life cycle, and all demonstrations feature the delicate, exquisitely rendered work of the author.

 Hollender teaches:

 Single light source toning techniques

 Principles of perspective for drawing flowers

 Understanding the form and function of plants

 Colored pencil techniques and color theory of the natural world

 Above all, BOTANICAL DRAWING emphasizes the joys of drawing from life.  “For me,” Hollender writes, “it is as if I am on my own personal expedition, discovering nature’s beauty for the first time.”  With BOTANICAL DRAWING, you can initiate your own process of discovery with the natural world. 

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Wendy Hollender is the coordinator of botanical art and illustration at the New York Botanical Garden.  She is also a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists, the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Florilegium, and the New York Botanical Garden Board of Advisors.  She was awarded a Silver Medal at the Royal Horticultural Society of London in 2007, and will have her work included in the prestigious Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation’s 13^th International Exhibition of Botanical Art and Illustration at Carnegie Mellon University. 

 BOTANICAL DRAWING IN COLOR

By Wendy Hollender

Watson-Guptill * July 20, 2010 * Price $24.99 * ISBN 978-0-8230-0706-6

Read an article about Wendy’s work in the September  2009 issue of the Artist’s Magazine!  You can find Artist’s Magazine at Barnes and Noble locations, many newsstands and on their website here.

Wendy Hollender

The Interchurch Center Corridor Gallery

475 Riverside Drive at 120th Street, New York, NY 10115, ✆212-870-2200

www.interchurch-center.org for directions

Near & Far

Botanical drawings 
in colored pencil and paint

by Wendy Hollender

April 6 to May 8, 2009

Reception: Tuesday, April 7 from 4 to 7 pm

Artist demonstration: Tuesday, April 28 from 12 to 1:30 pm

Free parking on the day of the reception only

in the building garage at 61 Claremont Avenue, after 4:30 pm.

Gallery hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Artist website: www.whartdesign.com

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Section A (advanced): 5 Thursdays: September 18, 25; October 2, 16, 23 | 2–5 p.m.

Section B (beginner): 5 Thursdays: November 6, 13, 20; December 4, 11 | 2–5 p.m.

http://bbg.org/edu/adult/arts.htmlClasses at the New York Botanical Garden

http://www.nybg.org/edu/conted/conted.php

[BIL 319] Fall Colors: Leaves Beyond Green

Wed 10/01/08 to Wed 11/19/08

[BIL 303] Drawing Flowers

Wed 10/01/08 to Wed 11/19/08

[BOT 145] Plant Drawing: Quick and Simple!

Section A -Tue 10/07/08 to Tue 10/21/08 Garden Education Center of Greenwich

Section B – Sun 11/09/08 to Sun 11/16/08 Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture 

Section C – Sun 03/01/09 to Sun 03/08/09 New York Botanical Garden

[BIL 496] Monthly Critiques for Final Projects in Botanical Illustration Certificate

Thu 10/16/08 to Thu 12/18/08

Wed 01/07/09 to Wed 03/18/09

[BIL 425] Drawing Flowers with Watercolor Pencil and Colored Pencil

Wed 01/21/09 to Wed 02/11/09

Exhibitions this Fall in New York

Portraits of a Garden IV: The 2008 Exhibition

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Florilegium

September 13 through November 30, 2008

Exhibit Opening: September 16th, 6:00pm

“Nature in New York” at The Open Center in So Ho.

An Exhibition of Students, Faculty and Alumni of the Botanical Art and Illustration Program 

at The New York Botanical Garden September 27–November 7, 2008 at The Open Center (SoHo)

83 Spring Street, New York, NY

EXHIBIT OPENING: Saturday, September 27, 7:30–9:30pm

Workshop in Trinidad

January 10 – 17th 2009 Sign up Now!

http://www.whartdesign.com/trinidad.html

Wendy Hollender

January 10^th thru January 17, 2009.

7 nights at the Asa Wright Nature Center in Trinidad

Price includes:

Tour to Oilbird Cave, a Guided Walk on Centre Grounds, a day excursion to Maracas Bay which is a sheltered mile long sandy beach.   Daily Botanical Drawing Workshop with instructor.

 The  package price  includes everything except airfare. Included is workshop fee, all meals, travel in Trinidad, tours , double occupancyy room.

$2000. For those not participating in the workshop the fee will be $1800. This is based on double occupancy.

Single supplement available for $525.

To reserve a spot I need a deposit of $100. This deposit is refundable less $25 until October 1 2008. Final payment for the trip is due by November 20, 2008. At that time a refund less $100 will be made if the space is taken by someone else. There is trip insurance available as well for those interested. Airfare varies but looks to be about $500. We will use a discount site to get a group airfare rate.

I will send out a complete itinerary soon, but will need a check made out to Wendy Hollender. Mail checks to:Wendy Hollender

272 West 107^th St. #11C

NY NY 10025

 Asa Wright Nature Center in the Middle of the Rain Forest is known for the most concentrated diversity of birds in the world.   We will draw surrounded by tropical plants and birds. Banana trees, cacao, guava, exotic orchids,coffee,nutmeg,jade vines, torchginger flowers,at your finger tips in the rain forest. On the beach there will be sea grape, tropical almond palm trees , and hibiscus.

Students will work in,graphite, colored pencil and watercolor pencils. The staff will give us guided tours, bring us specimens to work from and provide insight into the flora and historical use of the plants locally. We will work approximately 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. Imagine having lush flowering and fruiting plants at your fingertips, yet still have the comfort of a comfortable roof over your head and delicious local food served at each meal. It’s a way to work intensely on drawing and studying tropical plants, and experience the natural beauty of the Rain Forest in a relaxed manner. The staff at Asa Right Nature Center is friendly, knowledgeable, and the food prepared in the kitchen is delicious. Each day starts with coffee and tea on the veranda at 6am for those wanting to get a look at the morning birds, breakfast at 7:30am, lunch at noon, tea at 3pm, rum punch at 6pm and dinner at 7pm. In between we work, hike, and swim.

Botanical Drawing, A Beginner’s Guide Reviewed in The Botanical Artist Volume 4, Issue 1 – March 2008

The botanical artist Wendy Hollender hedges when asked to name her favorite plant to draw.

”I find them all interesting,” she says, until landing on a particular fancy.

”One of the things I love to draw is the flowering branches on trees. When Linden trees are blooming, we’re aware of the smell but not aware of where it’s coming from.”

Click here read the rest of the article.

We are excited to announce that Wendy’s workbook for students is at the printer and will be ready for shipping in January. The price is not quite finalized but will be between $60 and $70. The workbook is 26 lessons in graphite and colored pencil. Each lesson will appear at the top of the spiral bound book and the drawing paper for graphite lessons, or water color paper for colored pencil lessons is included. The spiral can be opened and closed to add and delete sheets. Refills of paper will be available for purchase.The initial print run is for 100 copies. Orders will be filled on a first come, first serve basis.

Please send us an e-mail if you are interested in purchasing this book. Books can be shipped or picked up in the NYC studio. Call or e-mail if you have additional questions: 212-580-4855.

Wendy Hollender

Lotus blossom scarf
(Brooklyn Botanic Garden, $85) Just because the leaves have fallen doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate some tropical flora. The BBG commissioned artist Wendy Hollender, whose botanical designs have been used by Wedgwood and Westpoint Stevens, to elegantly render a double rose lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) on a 12” x 60″ piece of silk voile. bbg.org

Holiday gift guide article