Visual Arts: Painting, Drawing, Botanical Illustration & Photography
Visual Arts: Painting, Drawing, Botanical Illustration & Photography
Enjoy the unique beauty of Longwood’s gardens and conservatories as you draw, paint, and photograph, regardless of your level of experience. Student focused instruction by accomplished professionals will allow students to expand their talents and increase their skills. Choose a course in the medium you prefer, and use Longwood’s majestic landscape and extensive selection of plants and flowers as the subjects of your artistry.
Courses:
Introduction to Plant Illustration
DATE: Mondays, September 20 – November 1, 6 sessions; 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
FEE: $135 Garden pass member / $150 non-member
WHERE: Acer Room
(No class Oct. 11)
This course is for beginners who marvel at the variety of shapes and forms in plants and flowers. Taught with patience and humor in a relaxed atmosphere, each student will be encouraged to work at their own pace and develop his/her own style. The instructor offers frequent demonstrations to clarify the process. Although the primary medium is watercolor, students are welcome to work in graphite, colored pencils or pastels. A supply list will be included with your confirmation.
Plant Illustration Studio
DATE: Mondays, September 20 – November 1, 6 sessions; 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM
FEE: $135 Garden pass member / $150 non-member
WHERE: Acer Room
(No class Oct. 11)
Many plant illustration students stay to spend an enjoyable afternoon each week continuing to use their artistic skills to illustrate plants and flowers from Longwood’s greenhouses and outdoor grounds. The studio time gives each artist a chance to receive further individual attention, constructive suggestions, and encouragement. Work at your own pace to create your own individual project. The interaction with other talented artists makes the studio a very creative and supportive environment.
Come to the first session with all supplies necessary to begin work.
Digital Garden Photography
DATE: Saturday, October 2
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
FEE: $135 Garden pass member / $150 non-member
Lunch included
WHERE: Catalpa Room, Outdoors & Conservatories
An illustrated lecture on the basics of composition, lighting, and camera technique will start the day. Professional garden photographers will demonstrate what goes into creating dramatic garden vistas and inspiring floral portraits. Students will head to the gardens to capture their own compelling images.
At a working lunch, the group will reconvene, download photos, and engage in a lively critique.
Limited enrollment.
Colored Pencils
SOLD OUT
DATE: Sundays, October 17 – November 7, 4 sessions; 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
FEE: $81 Garden pass member / $90 non-member
WHERE: Acer Room
Colored pencils are a versatile medium to interpret flowers and plants with rich, glowing, and realistic results. Learn how to build up layers of color, to burnish, and use the least obvious colors to get the elusive subtleties of nature. Initially work from simple forms of fruits and vegetables, and progress to more complex plants and flowers, learning to emphasize accurate drawing and form. No previous art experience is needed as instruction is based on individual needs.
Limited enrollment.
A supply list will be included with your confirmation letter.
Photographing Fall Splendor
DATE: Saturday, October 23; 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM
FEE: $135 Garden pass member / $150 non-member
Lunch included
WHERE: Catalpa Room
Fall at Longwood Gardens is the perfect time for photographers to capture beautiful landscape images of nature’s best colors. This workshop is designed for all skill levels of photography.
Emphasis will be on landscape photography with trees as the subject and close-up techniques for capturing designs and patterns in nature. Also, learn how to do panoramas (stitching of multiple images) and focus stacking.
Participants will have the opportunity to practice their skills while shooting with the instructor around the ponds and grounds of Longwood Gardens.
The workshop includes an illustrated handout, a digital presentation by the instructor, and a formal critique of participants’ images in the afternoon. The goal of the workshop is to capture the best possible images worthy of sharing.
Note: Participants must bring their own digital photographic equipment and are encouraged to bring a laptop computer and a flash drive to download images for the afternoon critique.
Another option is to bring a flash drive/CD with previously shot JPEG landscape images. Participants should have a working knowledge of their camera. Activities are NOT applicable to point and shoot cameras. A tripod is optional, but highly recommended.
Autumn Still Life in Oil Pastels
DATE: Saturday, October 30; 9:00 AM to 12 Noon SOLD OUT
FEE: $36 Garden pass member / $40 non-member
WHERE: Betula Room
A warm palate of autumnal leaves, gourds, and pumpkins will inspire paintings in oil pastels. You’ll begin by drawing large simple masses of shapes and color enabling you to fill the entire canvas. Large, creative designs focusing on suggestion rather than detail will result in expressive, individualized, artful paintings.
Limited enrollment. Students will receive a set of oil pastels to use and take home.
Plant Illustration Studio B
DATE: Mondays, November 8 – 22, 3 sessions; 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM
FEE: $68 Garden pass member / $75 non-member
WHERE: Acer Room
For participants who want to extend their studio time for three extra sessions.
Continuing Education Opportunities
Longwood offers hundreds of lectures, courses and workshops each year that allow you to learn directly from our gardeners and horticulturists in our unique garden environment.
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Professional Gardener Training Program
Longwood's immersive, tuition-free, two-year program combines a rigorous academic curriculum with hands-on learning.
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Internships
Students can gain practical experience, learn horticultural skills and study plants in one of the world’s finest gardens through our internship programs.
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