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Climate Storytelling and Drawing Plants 28 Jun 2024 8:44 AM (last year)

Dear Friends,

I have a story and some resources to share to celebrate the publication of Storytelling to Accelerate Climate Solutions, especially the chapter about visual science communication.

I had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from visual science communicators Kalliopi Monoyios, Kirsten Carlson, Taina Litwak, and Fiona Martin. We collaborated on the chapter, Visuals as a Catalyst for Climate Science Communication. This chapter provides a historical overview of scientific illustration and what visual science communication looks like in formal and informal learning environments. I share this chapter here in case this topic is of interest. Published by Springer Nature, this chapter and the entire book are open-access and available for free.

Today’s story is about a Fibonacci-themed booth I created for the ideal Pi Day event. What made this the quintessential Pi Day event is that the date, March 14, 2015, matched the first five digits in Pi (3.1415). To make this day even more special, the STEM and career festival for students and families I participated in began at 9:52 AM (9-5-2 are the next three digits in Pi). Event organizers and exhibitors happily celebrated Pi Day by playing up 3.1415952.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics were well-represented on this day. Participating exhibitors were asked to include a career component with their planned exhibit. The tabletop activity I created for this event focused on the Fibonacci spiral. Visitors learned to identify Fibonacci spirals on pine cones, pineapples, and artichokes. The career I chose to highlight on this day was scientific illustration. During my activity, students learned how to see Fibonacci spirals and how knowing about these spirals helps scientific illustrators capture the patterns on objects where the spiral is observed.

Instead of handing out sheets of paper, I gave each student a large sticker with “I’m a scientific illustrator!” printed across the top. Students attached the stickers to their shirts before moving on to the next booth. It was fun to see them visualize Fibonacci spirals on their stickers and then wear their illustrations (and new identity) around the festival. 
Fig. 1 – Example of a sticker designed by a student.
I share this story because it is a good example of how, through drawing, so much can be seen and understood. To learn more about visual science communication, I encourage you to see Chapter 11 in Storytelling to Accelerate Climate Solutions. You will learn so much from Kalliopi Monoyios, Kirsten Carlson, Taina Litwak, and Fiona Martin.

You can learn more about the history of Pi Day and how it became a national U.S. holiday here.

Before I go, allow me to share two additional resources with you.

The first resource is something I created for teachers in 2017. It is a single sheet of paper upon which you’ll find background information that will help you introduce the importance of seeing plants and set the stage for botanical drawing activities. This handout links to articles from this site. I’ve updated as many links as possible. Download Seeing Plants w/Sci-Art (PreK – Adult)

Now for that second resource…

While checking the links on the Seeing Plants handout, I came across a new paper about sketching plants. This paper by researcher Joonhyun Kim scientifically validates some of what has always been accepted — that drawing changes our emotional connection to the natural world.

What else did he find out?

Click here to download A Study on the Plant Sketching Practice for the Enhancement of People’s Intention for Pro-Environmental Behavior.

This paper is available for free.

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Near You 28 Nov 2023 5:53 AM (last year)

One of the most visited sections of the ArtPlantae website was the “Classes Near You” section where I listed classes and travel experiences related to botany, botanical art, and natural history art. When I turned my attention to my current project in 2018, this section featured learning opportunities in eleven countries and 34 U.S. states. I loved highlighting these opportunities and the artists and educators who led them.

Last week, I launched a resource similar to the “Classes Near You” section. This time, this resource is a Calendar of Opportunity for anyone leading conversations and experiences strengthening environmental awareness. This includes YOU and the way you facilitate connections between people and plants.
There are no costs involved in adding your workshop to the new calendar. The calendar lives on the Lu.ma platform. You will need a Luma account (this is also free). You retain control of your listing and your audience. To have your event appear on the new calendar, all you need to do is select the TALATERRA calendar when creating your event. By doing so, your event will populate the calendar automatically and appear alongside events created by other independent professionals and organizations too. After the date and time of your event pass, your listing is removed from the calendar automatically. Here are clear step-by-step directions and a couple of helpful images.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me here. Please mention the ArtPlantae website in your message. I look forward to learning about your classes and the conversations you are leading.

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Partnership-building for educators 1 Jun 2021 7:02 AM (4 years ago)

While serving as ArtPlantae’s full-time editor, educator, and bookseller, I had the fantastic opportunity to interview artists, naturalists, and educators about their work. Many of these individuals were freelance artists and educators, and I loved introducing them to new audiences.

Today at Talaterra, I am continuing this work and amplifying it by bringing attention to independent professionals who connect people with the outdoors through their work, regardless of their field. Not everyone identifies with the label “environmental educator,” yet many people do this type of work. I aim to find out who these individuals are, what they do, and how they contribute to lifelong learning in communities through Talaterra and its initiatives.

The newest initiative is the EE Forward Summit. I share this with you here if you are interested or know of anyone interested in this professional development and partnership-building event for independent environmental education professionals. Instead of writing a long post about it, I would like to invite you to view the Summit website to learn more about this initiative celebrating founders and how they nurture people’s relationships with nature, specifically Water, as this is the theme for the upcoming Summit.

Thank you for your time today.

Also, thank you for continuing to visit and use this resource. I am thrilled this site continues to provide educators with valuable information.

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New podcast for educators 10 Feb 2019 11:01 PM (6 years ago)

Dear Readers,

In September I archived this blog to focus on a new project investigating how freelance educators in natural resource fields and environmental education contribute to lifelong learning in their communities. Last month I launched a new component to this project and I thought it might be of interest to you.

The new component I launched is a weekly podcast for freelance educators. On the podcast, I feature an independent educator or a topic of interest to freelance educators. To learn more about this podcast, please visit the show’s website at Talaterra.com.

Alternatively, you can listen to the trailer below.

Thank you for your time,

Tania

Talaterra Trailer, Season 2

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ArtPlantae blog archived 19 Sep 2018 11:01 PM (7 years ago)

Dear Readers,

I write a personal note to you today to inform you I am moving on to another project and will stop updating the ArtPlantae blog.

I am currently investigating the contributions freelance educators make to lifelong learning in communities. My specific focus is educators who address nature and the environment in their work. I believe that freelance environmental educators working in informal learning environments are uniquely positioned to create change at the community level. This project requires all of my attention, so I have decided to stop editing the ArtPlantae blog. The blog will remain online, however, and will stay available to you. I hope you continue to refer to the content featured on this site.

I would like to thank you for your support of ArtPlantae during the past 16 years. Some of you have followed ArtPlantae from the beginning and have watched ArtPlantae evolve from the original Artists’ Botany newsletter into the Artists’ Herbarium, then the ArtPlantae blog and its sidekick ArtPlantae Books. To everyone who stopped by the ArtPlantae booth at environmental education events, garden shows, family book festivals, teacher and librarian events, exhibitions, and conferences — thank you for visiting.

Thank you all for contributing so much to this blog over the years and for your interest in my mission to bring botany and botanical art education to the public.

With heartfelt appreciation,

Tania Marien

Related

If you are a freelance informal educator (part-time or full-time) addressing natural resources or the environment through your artwork, classes, programs, or service and are interested in meeting other people like you, please join me here.

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A guide to flowering plants for illustrators 19 Sep 2018 10:59 PM (7 years ago)

If you enjoy doodling, sketching, drawing, or painting plants, chances are you’ve had a moment in which you did not know the name or function of the plant part in front of you.

Fortunately for the contemporary botanical illustrator, there are books to help artists navigate the world of plant morphology. These books have been reviewed here in the past.

Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to a botany book that serves as a comprehensive guide to the botanical world. While written for botanical illustrators, classroom teachers will also enjoy the thorough treatment of plant biology, and naturalists will find this book to be a welcome companion in the field.

Understanding the Flowering Plants: A Practical Guide for Botanical Illustrators is a book by botanist, teacher, and botanical illustrator Anne L.D. Bebbington. It is based on material from a course Anne taught with Mary Brewin for the Institute for Analytical Plant Illustration (IAPI) back in 2010. The program they led was a botany program created specifically for botanical artists. In this course, they aimed to help botanical artists “gain a better understanding of the flowering plants and so inform their artwork” (Bebbington, 2014). Since then Anne has taught many workshops as interest in plants and botany has grown among art groups in the UK. Anne currently runs workshops as part of the Kew Illustration Course and works as a botanist/tutor in the Society of Botanical Artists Long Distance Diploma Course. Fellow IAPI members are also visiting art groups and leading workshops.

Whether you are a botanical artist entering juried exhibitions, a passionate nature journaler, or an avid gardener, Understanding the Flowering Plants is a reference not to be missed.

Anne’s book is extensive and she discusses a lot of information in the book’s 256 pages. Here are the main topics addressed in the book’s twelve chapters:

This book does not read like a typical botany book. Anne has kept the text brief and informative and uses line drawings and color photographs to illustrate the points she makes. The book’s supporting images are more than just helpful. I think they make the book and enable readers to establish a working knowledge of plants. Here are a few features I think are especially good:

Writing Plant Names


Collecting, Storing and Reviving Specimens
This section features helpful tips for artists and gardeners.


Tools & Techniques
The Tools & Techniques chapter is filled with practical information about how to use microscopes, cameras, scanners, and computers to document plants.


Inflorescence Types
Inflorescences are clusters of flowers. Think hollyhock, orchids, and snapdragons. What makes Anne’s treatment of this subject stand out is that she pairs the standard line drawings of inflorescence types with photographs of actual inflorescences.


Pollination Mechanisms
There are wonderful labeled photographs in this section.


The Mistletoe Story
I knew the story, but have never seen a photograph of a mistletoe seed germinating on a branch. Fascinating!

Throughout this book, Anne gives thoughtful attention to the structures illustrators may encounter in their work.

Also included in this book are art projects designed to help readers assess their understanding of information in the chapters about leaves, roots, stems, reproduction, flowers, fruit, seeds, seed dispersal, and twigs.

Completing this book are a glossary of terms, a bibliography, a listing of equipment suppliers (in the UK), and a listing of societies and courses (also in the UK).

While the resources in the book are UK-specific, Anne’s instruction is not. If you are attending the annual meeting of the American Society of Botanical Artists next month, you will have the opportunity to learn from Anne directly. Anne will give a free lecture about the pollination of flowers and lead a one-day workshop titled, “Looking Inside a Flower.”


Understanding the Flowering Plants can be purchased at an independent bookstore near you.


Literature Cited
Bebbington, Anne L.D. (2014). Understanding the Flowering Plants: A practical guide for botanical illustrators. Ramsbury, Marlborough: Crowood Press.

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Natural history illustration at Center for Urban Horticulture 28 Aug 2018 1:51 PM (7 years ago)

Here is what’s new at Classes Near You > Washington!

Photo by Sharon Birzer, all rights reserved.


Sharon Birzer
www.sharonbirzer.com
Scientific illustrator Sharon Birzer has a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts, an​ MFA from the University of Washington, and a certificate in science illustration from the University of Washington. She has held residencies at the North Cascades Institute Environmental Learning Center, the Helen Whiteley Center at Friday Harbor Laboratories at the University of Washington College of the Environment, and the Nordic Art Association in Stockholm, Sweden. View a portfolio of Sharon’s scientific, botanical, and interpretive work on her website.

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