Networking

I was very fortunate (and so excited!) to be able to take a great adventure this month by attending the National ASBA (American Society of Botanical Artists) Conference 2016, at Carnegie Mellon University, and the Hunt Institute of Botanical Documentation, Pittsburg, PA! (yes, that is a mouthful to say) 

Even though I'm quite new to botanical art, it was so inspiring to meet the artist's behind so much of the beautiful work that I have admired from afar only through books and the internet.  It was an awesome week packed full of workshops, classes, panel discussions, demonstrations, gallery openings, museum visits, conservatory and  botanical garden tours, and lovely banquets.  My head is still spinning.  I was most surprised though by all of the countries represented there and the distance traveled by so many of the sweet people that I met!  My six hour drive down from Michigan didn't seem like much at all when I realized there were artists from England, Scotland, China, Japan, Australia, Italy, Thailand, Nepal, and various other corners of the world, about 225 or so of us in fact.  What an amazing experience with this unique group of artists!  I know I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn, but they were all super nice and so encouraging. Yep, this was my Secret Society Botanicon of sorts, ...and these are my people;)