Drawing a Scientific Botanical Plate
Combining botany, design, and illustration, students will have the opportunity to create an artful botanical dissection plate during this two-day workshop. Botanical dissection plates have been around since the invention of the microscope and are realistic educational illustrations of plant anatomy. Participants will learn valuable techniques used by science illustrators, such as field sketching, plant dissection, and drawing from magnified plant specimens. Students will also learn how to use color and design to create eye-catching compositions. The workshop will take place both in the gardens and the classroom, where students will learn how to translate their knowledge into creative and visually appealing illustrations. This workshop will take a loose and artful approach to this typically technical and time-consuming process. All levels are welcome. Class appropriate to teens 14+.
Before there were vitamin supplements, protein shakes, and Western lifestyles focused on speed and convenience, there was an understanding of how plants and wildlife contribute to human health and nutrition. In this intergenerational class, Barry Dana (Penobscot) and Lori Dana will introduce the species and practices that vary throughout the ecologies of the Dawnland (Maine) and how the "People of the Dawn" have been sourcing food and medicine for centuries, whether through fishing, foraging, or cultivating. You'll learn about heritage flora and fauna under threat and the need for awareness to preserve their existence. After class, you'll be armed with the tools to incorporate native plants into your landscape setting, whether it's a community garden, a forest edge, or a wide-open field. Together, we honor Dawnland's natural resources and highlight nutritional sovereignty across Maine. Class level: all.
Thursday - Sunday, June 12 - 15 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Join Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens for an educational walk at Captain Fitzgerald Recreation and Conservation Area in Brunswick. Visit one of Maine's few remaining Sandplain Pine Barren communities, and you will leave with the skills to identify endemic native plant species and how to recreate elements of this native plant community in your home landscape. If the weather permits, we will see dozens of pollinating insects and birds, so bring your hand lenses and binoculars. We'll have extra on hand if you don't have these items. Class level: all.
