Class Schedule April – August 2025

NEW! Introduction to Botanical Drawing I | March 29, April 5, 12, 26 OR April 10, 17, 24, May 8 OR April 29, May 6, May 20, May 13 | IN-PERSON

This class is designed to provide foundational drawing skills and inspire a sense of wonder and connection to the natural world. Any age can learn to draw. Marks on paper are all a drawing is. Marks can be made on paper by anyone. Despite this, not everyone takes the time to learn how to draw. It isn’t easy to develop drawing skills without spending a lot of time drawing. This class provides time, motivation and inspiration for you to draw. Learn to think like an artist, get curious, ask questions, and play— all while learning how to draw. We start with an overview of botanical art and learn about the benefits drawing provides for the brain and our physiology. Drawing habits and dealing with the inner critic are also discussed. Using pencil marks on paper, participants explore sketchbook work, basic line qualities, light on forms, and transforming reality into three-dimensional illusions. Sketching, contour drawing, negative space, and measured drawing are also covered.

Instructors: Claudette & Stephey Baker

Prerequisite: None

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NEW! Botanical Illustration: Ruffles and Flourishes – the Magnificent Iris in Colored Pencil and Watercolor | May 5, 7 | IN-PERSON

This two-day focus session will include exploration of plant and flower structure, practice rendering the unique characteristics of irises, and completion of a plant portrait layering professional grade colored pencil and watercolor.

Instructor: Gail Goodrich Harwood

Prerequisite: Colored Pencil II or equivalent approved by the instructor prior to registration

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NEW! Botanical Drawing II: Shading & Structure | May 10, 17, June 7, 14 OR May 22, 29, June 12, 19 | IN-PERSON

Expand your understanding of depth and dimension by exploring light, shadow, and value.
This course takes the next step in your artistic journey, sharpening your ability to see subtle shifts in light and shadow while deepening your focus and observational skills. Using graphite, you’ll explore grayscale rendering and value mapping, learning to blend smooth transitions between highlights, midtones, and shadows. The result? More refined, visually rich botanical drawings that convey structure and realism.

Instructors: Claudette & Stephey Baker

Prerequisite: Introduction to Botanical Drawing I

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NEW! Botany for Botanical Illustration: Ferns | June 4, 11 | IN-PERSON

Learn about the life history and biodiversity of ferns.  The first session will address reproduction (the distinction and unique functions of sporophyte and gametophyte generations) and survey sporophyte diversity of typical ferns.  Examples will include Christmas Fern, Sensitive Fern, Cinnamon Fern, etc.  The second session will explore several unusual ferns, including the aquatic Mosquito and Four-Leaf-Clover Ferns, Whisk Ferns, and Horsetails.  A selection of several different kinds of fern will be provided or students may bring their own subject material.  Media, either graphite or watercolor, student’s choice.

Instructors: John and Sheila Hayden

Prerequisite: One previous Botanical Illustration course in the medium selected.

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DRAWING WORKSHOP SERIES WITH INTERNATIONAL ARTIST ROGÉRIO LUPO

Explore various drawing techniques through virtual workshops with award-winner, scientific illustrator and artist Rogério Lupo, who will teach from Brazil. Each course includes drawing demonstrations of the various skills discussed. Students enrolled in the Garden’s Botanical Illustration certificate program will earn elective credit.

Honoring the Light – And How it Reflects on Different Surfaces | June 4, 11, 18, 25 | VIRTUAL 

This new version of this successful course has been revised and extended (now with twice as many sessions!).
This workshop aims to convey a system of observation of light and shade that addresses this complex issue with simple procedures. We begin by restricting our focus merely to the absolute qualities of light and shade in their extreme values. Thus, the brightest highlight is recognized at first, and everything else is left aside for a while. Once we identify its tonal value, be it purely white or not, the absolute quality of the highlight is determined, and then it must become the parameter for representing all else. As we progress with the work, the need for constant comparison of tonal values is fundamental until we establish the absolute quality of the darkest shade as well. From that point on, it becomes easier to decipher and render the values of secondary lights, midtones, and reflections, with all their obvious or subtle nuances.

Fundamentals of Graphite Shading | July 16, 23, July 30, August 6 | VIRTUAL

This course is very elucidative either for beginners or more experienced practitioners of pencil art. It aims to provide all the theoretical and practical tools necessary for beginners to initiate their practice and for intermediate students to improve their skills. We start from a basic understanding of the very mechanics of how graphite works, as well as the importance of the texture of the paper and the sharpness of the pencil, and how these aspects influence our intended result. We also address different ways to hold the pencil and the variety of motions used to produce the shading. From that understanding, we expand our objectives and practice the visual apprehension of tonal values seen in nature in order to represent them accurately, by aiming at the simplest approach with minimum effort involved. Once we dominate visual comprehension, our hands will follow and begin to practice how to faithfully represent what we see with all its delicate nuances and subtle shifts.

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NEW! Illustrating Pollinators for Botanical Art: Butterflies | June 20, 21, 22 | IN-PERSON

A Three-Day Intensive Workshop on the Form and Function of Butterflies.  This workshop is designed to deepen your understanding of butterflies beyond basic anatomy. Rather than simply identifying the head, thorax, and abdomen, we’ll explore how leg structures, mouthparts, and flight patterns reveal a butterfly’s purpose, personality, and ecological role. By studying the epitome of form and function, artists will gain insight into how these elements create life in motion. Over three intensive days, we’ll blend structured instruction, guided observation, and hands-on drawing exercises to develop both technical skill and scientific understanding. Instead of rushing to complete a portfolio-ready piece, you’ll create a meaningful, well-designed observational record that serves as a foundation for future work.

Instructors: Claudette Baker, Stephey Baker and Clara Aus

Prerequisite: Botanical Drawing II or Intermediate Drawing for Botanical Illustration

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NEW! Botany for Botanical Illustration: Insectivorous Plants | July 12 | IN-PERSON

Explore the amazing world of plants that consume insects and the diverse contrivances by which they catch their prey: snap traps, pitfall traps, sticky traps, and hair-triggered suction traps.  A selection of small insectivorous plants will be provided.  Media, either graphite or watercolor, student’s choice.

Instructors: John and Sheila Hayden

Prerequisite: One previous Botanical Illustration course in the medium selected.

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NEW! Botanical Illustration: Farmer’s Market Finds in Colored Pencil on Stonehenge Kraft Paper | July 16, 18 | IN-PERSON

This two-day focus session explores Colored Pencil on Stonehenge Kraft paper – a perfect combo for rendering vibrant fruits and vegetables. Day One will include practice exercises to understand the nuances of colored pencil on Kraft paper. Day Two will be focused on completing an accurate and appealing composition.

Instructor: Gail Goodrich Harwood

Prerequisites: Botanical Drawing, Color Theory, and Colored Pencil I or equivalent experience. Equivalent experience must be approved by the instructor prior to registration.

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ART IN THE GARDEN SUPPORTING WORKSHOPS

These workshops can provide additional skills that enhance your artistic journey while also providing limited elective credit.

Introduction to Nature Journaling | August 1, 2 | IN-PERSON

In this guided class, local artist and pollinator advocate Stephey Baker will show you how to capture the magic of nature using words, sketches, and numbers—no prior experience needed! Absolute beginners are welcome, and all art materials are provided, so you can jump in—no shopping list, no stress. We’ll begin with a brief, friendly orientation on basic materials and simple techniques. Then, through curiosity-driven exercises, you’ll learn to capture the beauty of nature using words, sketches, numbers in a way that’s uniquely yours.

Instructor: Stephey Baker

Prerequisites: None