Spotlighting the ephemeral beauty and variety of plant life, the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum is featuring two botanical art exhibitions.
“Botanical Art Worldwide: America’s Flora” highlights U.S. indigenous plants — from cacti and trees to woodland flowers — with a goal of increasing appreciation and understanding of the world’s plant diversity and its interconnectedness. An array of North American flora, both familiar and rare, is meticulously depicted in watercolor and other mediums. Curated by the American Society of Botanical Artists and the United States Botanic Garden, the exhibition is part of a worldwide project emphasizing the importance of conserving botanical diversity and linking people with plants via botanical art.
“Flora, Fauna, Font: Illustrating the Alphabet,” features Kandis Vermeer Phillips’s illuminated alphabet adorned with plants, mammals, and insects. Phillips integrated extensive research into the history of medieval illuminated manuscripts — embellished with luminous colors — into an alphabet primer for her granddaughter. She combined decorative letters with representations of flowers and creatures found in her garden and during family travels. This exhibition was organized by the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Related Botanical Art Events
“Art Beyond Sight,” on Saturday, August 17, 10:30 a.m. to noon, is designed for individuals with low vision or blindness. Participants join Museum educators for a multisensory exploration of the galleries followed by hands-on art making inspired by “Flora, Fauna, Font.” Call the Museum at 715-845-7010 to register.
During “Art 101: Master Gardener Garden Walk,” Wednesday, August 21, 12:15 to 1 p.m., join master gardeners for plant-life insights while strolling the Museum grounds.
Both exhibitions remain on view at the Woodson Art Museum through August 25. For more information, visit www.lywam.org.
Sign up to receive Fine Art Today, the free weekly e-newsletter from
Fine Art Connoisseur magazine.
